School therapy dogs brighten everyone’s days
By Tami S. Scott
Associate editor
Francis and Luna are not traditional Catholic school students. In fact, they’re not there to learn at all. It’s the social life that keeps them coming back — and the doors are wide open.
Francis, named after the patron saint of animals, is a 9-month-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel that spends a lot of time with the kids at Trinity Catholic School in Oswego. They go for walks together on the playground and have treats and greets in between lessons.
His owner, Heidi Ziervogel, a traveling/virtual counselor for Catholic schools, takes Francis elsewhere for education and he’s well on his way to earning his certification as a therapy dog. Francis attends Sit Means Sit, a dog training center located in Cicero, where he most recently achieved Canine Good Citizen status. This certification required him to accept a friendly stranger, sit politely for petting, have an acceptable appearance, walk on a loose lead, walk through a crowd, allow supervised separation and be polite around other dogs, among learning other good behaviors. “I am so thankful for the blessing of the Trinity staff that support Francis and I every week as we work towards our goals,” Ziervogel said.
For now, Francis only visits Trinity Catholic. But as he continues to apply his skills there, and Ziervogel continues to learn her role as a reliable and supportive dog handler for Francis, she hopes to broaden their social circle with regular visits to Most Holy Rosary in Syracuse, St. Mary’s School in Cortland and Holy Family School in Norwich.
“I have loved watching the reactions and hearing the feedback from the students, staff and families,” she said about her furry partner in mental health support. “Any space Francis enters has an immediate positive shift that is evident in everyone’s facial expressions and tone of voice.
“Students have shared that they look forward to coming to school just to see Francis,” she added. And though the expectations are high for this special puppy, Ziervogel said he’s rewarded with endless love and car rides with open windows.
Another ‘golden’ gift
Luna is an ambitious 5-and-a-half-year-old golden retriever who’s been on the job since she was four months old. She earned her K-9 Good Citizen and School Therapy Dog training certificate the summer she turned one. She has remarkable attendance at school, going every day except when she feels under the weather or there’s a field trip.
Her owner, Lana Benjamin, is a pre-K3 educator at Holy Family School in Norwich, where Luna also spends most of her time. “Pre-K3 is the first experience many children have outside of their home,” Benjamin said. “And having a dog in the room makes it feel more like a family environment.”
Like Francis, Luna interacts with everyone in the building, whether in the classroom, the hallways or on the playground. She can also be utilized on an as needed basis, as an incentive when a student needs extra support or when someone is just having a tough day. “Luna is a great listener and provides a calming presence,” said Benjamin, noting that she’s also been given a special gift. “Each year, she makes a best friend. I never know who it’s going to be or what they need from Luna … but Luna just seems to know who needs her.”
This “golden girl” also understands the work week versus the weekends. Every weekday morning, Benjamin said she asks her, “Are you ready for school? Want to go see your kids?” and her ears perk up as if to say, “Yes!”
“Luna loves school. She lives the best life a dog could ask for,” Benjamin said. “School days filled with love, attention and belly rubs — and summers off to swim at her little lake.”
