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Purpose:
The mission of the Spring ISD Police Therapy K9 program is to encourage and cultivate positive relationships with the school district students and staff, as well as the community through various school programs, and community relations events. Spring ISD Police Department wants to proactively engage with students who may be struggling with trauma or mental health concerns or who can benefit from a dog being present.
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Meet Benji
Spring ISD Police Department has purchased a Golden Doodle named Benji from D2 Doodles. Benji is the first Therapy Dog for the Spring ISD Police Department. It is the goal that through Benji and the Spring ISD Police Department’s Therapy Dog Program we are better able to serve our Spring ISD staff, students, and community.
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Benefit
Both staff and students can experience positive mental and physical health benefits by interacting with a therapy dog. Petting and interacting with the therapy dog is a non-threatening, non-judgmental way of helping staff and students break down mental and emotional barriers (https://theconversation.com/therapy-dogs-can-help-reduce-student-stress-anxiety-and-improve-school-attendance-93073, https://www.edutopia.org/article/bringing-dog-school, https://www.weareteachers.com/dogs-in-the-classroom/).
Mental Health Benefits:
- Decreases in stress and anxiety, experienced from post-traumatic stress disorder
- Decreases loneliness and aggressive behaviors
- Increases in socialization with an outward focus, including opportunities for laughter and a sense of happiness and well-being
- Increases in spirit, self-esteem, and feeling of acceptance, enabling a patient to further participate in mental and physical therapy; to be more involved in group activities, and to accept social and emotional support
- Provides a sense of belonging and gives unconditional love.
Physical Benefits:
- Decreases the stress hormone cortisol
- Improvement in motor skills including standing balance, wheelchair, and other physical skills
- Increases in hormones associated with health and feeling of well-being
- Encourages communication
- Helps children overcome speech and emotional disorders
- Increased focus and attention through hands-on interaction
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Daily Duties of a Therapy Dog
1. Daily duties (extension of handler)
2. Public events (National Night Out, Blue Santa, Graduation)
3. Community outreach and engagement
4. Major/traumatic incidents
5. School literacy programs, career fair, and demonstrations
6. Grief loss and trauma (Both within the Police Department and in partnership with Dr. Zimmerman’s Team)
7. Natural disaster incidents
8. Victim forensic interviews
9. Criminal investigations/interviews
10. Crisis intervention
11. Medical facility visits (hospitals, nursing homes, VA clinics, etc.)
12. Staff wellness
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Request a Visit from Benji
