Philadelphia: Charter school launches pet therapy for emotional support
- The end of childhood
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Oct 22, 2025, Fox29, Philadelphia: New pet therapy program launched at Philadelphia Performing Arts: A String Theory Charter School
A new pet therapy program is bringing smiles and emotional support to students at a local school in Center City.
Therapy dogs make their debut
What we know:
Philadelphia Performing Arts: A String Theory Charter School has introduced therapy dogs Maverick, a French Bulldog, and Polly, a Miniature Pinscher, as part of the "AIR Dogs: Paws for Minds" program.
The program was created by the nonprofit Attitudes in Reverse.
Samantha Sarin, a board-certified behavioral analyst at the school, said, "[Maverick] loves being here, the students love seeing him, the staff love seeing him, he’s like a celebrity in the building already."
The dogs, who underwent an 11-month training program with their owners who are school administrators, are already a hit with students. Clyde Thompson, a student, said, "They help me like calm down a little bit if I feel like my brain hurts a lot."
Benefits of therapy dogs
Tricia Baker, co-founder of Attitudes in Reverse (AIR), explained the benefits, saying, "The whole interaction with the dog releases positive brain chemicals... It just makes everybody smile and it helps everybody to be a little bit calmer."
Research suggests that therapy dogs can increase student engagement, lower stress levels, and boost happiness for students in the presence of therapy dogs.
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