ADA, Mich. — "You can be having an absolutely horrible day, you can come into the office, get some snuggles in and like, 'Okay, I'm ready for whatever's coming my way,'" said behavior support aide Abby Garcia, referring to the pup sat beside her.
Jersey is the latest addition to the staff at Ada Vista Elementary School. Walking the halls on four paws, her job is to help support students.
"Sometimes we're just having the worst day," Garcia explained. "Helping (the students) whether it's breathing or just coming into the office and having a few minutes."
Garcia said students can also come to visit Jersey and help care for her by getting her water, brushing her hair and more.
"At the end of the day it's to help them be successful," Garcia said.
Jersey's wagging tail and bright smile can also be a motivation for students to come through the door in the morning, Garcia said it helps kids get excited about coming to school.
She described the difference Jersey can make in a child's day, saying she can bring a child from being an "exploding volcano" of emotion to come back down to a "free-flowing water."
"We use that analogy about like 'How are you feeling right now?'" Garcia said. "And being with Jersey for a little bit it's like, 'Okay I'm back down to a good level,' and then we can talk about, you know, what happened before (the student) exploded."
While the students might be exploding with emotion, Jersey always remains calm.
"She's more of a calming presence," said Garcia. "We have kids who will just lay on her like she's a pillow, read a book to her, she doesn't move. This is her, this is how she is."
Garcia explained that this is what separates Jersey from your pet dog at home, she won't jump or bark. While pet dogs usually want to play, Jersey is very well-trained to remain calm. She said this can also help students who might have a fear of dogs.
Therapy dogs in schools are becoming more common, and Garcia is excited to see what this could do for the next generation.
"They'll be able to experience something that lots of other kids have not, right? I think it's great to see," Garcia said.
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