Therapy dogs in classrooms may improve children’s well-being

The use of therapy dogs in schools may improve children’s mental health, encourage enthusiasm about learning and help them fit in better with their peers, according to feedback from education professionals.

“The introduction of animals [into classrooms] may serve as a practical solution for addressing the growing mental health crisis in childhood and adolescence,” says Robert Baird at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia.

Many students struggle with learning, behavioural or emotional difficulties at school and some experience bullying by classmates. These issues …