PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — Palm Beach County School District added two new members to their K-9 unit. The therapy dogs are meant to bring physical and emotional support to students and staff across the county. We caught up with one of the newest additions, Leo, at Westward Elementary School.
“He’s a pretty cool dog,” 4th grader Travon Young said. Liam Fadish added, “he makes me happy.” “He’s a therapy dog so he helps me, and my brother get through all that we’ve been through,” student D’Marie Petitfrere said.
It’s paws on patrol! You can catch Leo giving kisses and making students smile. When the students see Leo coming down the hall with his therapy dog vest on, they want some Leo love.
“It’s just that he’s really cute and when we see him in the hallways, we always ask if we can pet him,” 4th grader, Brent Chambers said. “I love that dog. The way he smiles, every time he sees people, it gives me happiness and goodness to my heart,” 5th grader, Brandon Smith said.
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Leo provides healing and comfort in ways only four-legged friends can. “A lot of times a therapy dog can do so much more than an adult or human. When that student or staff is sitting down with this dog, he can do things and he can make a person feel a certain way that I could never be able to do on my own,” Officer Michelle Wilburn said.
He’s the best boy and Officer Wilburn said she can already see the impact Leo is making in the school, whether it’s from sitting with him one-on-one or saying hello in the hallway.
“Provide that emotional support to the students to help them, you know, relieve whatever anxiety or whatever things that they may be feeling from home that morning, even in the afternoon when they’re going home,” Officer Wilburn said. Leo is one of three therapy dogs in Palm Beach County Schools.
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