There are many benefits to having therapy animals in a school setting, the main one being the health and well-being of both students and staff alike. An animal often has an immediate calming effect by just being near.
Physical benefits: Interaction with therapy animals has been shown to reduce blood pressure, provide physical stimulation and assist with pain management.
Social benefits: Therapy animals promote greater self-esteem and focused interaction with other students and teachers.
Cognitive benefits: It has been empirically proven that therapy animals stimulate memory and problem-solving skills.
Emotional and mental health benefits: Therapy animals can lift moods in the classroom, often provoking laughter. Therapy animals are there to offer friendship and as a comfort to students, which is even more important for our students as we see an increase of mental health concerns across the country.
Our 13 guinea pigs joined us in October 2022 and immediately won us all over with their inquisitive nature.
