Meet Brody, a five-month-old miniature poodle who will soon become the South Plainfield School District’s first official therapy dog.
Brody was rescued from a farm in Lancaster, PA earlier this fall and adopted by Roosevelt Elementary School teacher Kathy Simpson and her family with the intent of being trained to service district students.
“Brody … did not start his life in the right conditions. He was malnourished. Thankfully, Mama Rhea Animal Rescue in Hillsborough rescued him, and I was able to adopt him for the district,” Simpson shares, adding, “Brody is healthy, happy, and living a wonderful life now.”
Brody and Simpson are scheduled to begin Basic Dog Obedience training before the end of the year; once he turns a year old and completes Certified Therapy Dog Training, Brody will be available to all district students. He will also participate in different school activities and programs.
“Everybody, whether they know it or not, needs a dog like this. They need someone to read to, someone to talk to, to snuggle with. We all need it and this is going to benefit a lot of people,” Simpson stated during an October board of education meeting that she and Brody attended.
Dog therapy can have a positive effect on physical, mental, and social health by improving emotional well-being, reducing stress and anxiety, and enhancing social-emotional and academic skills. While service dogs are individually trained to perform tasks for a person with a disability, therapy dogs are trained to provide comfort and, in a school setting, can play a role in promoting a positive environment, increasing attendance, boosting student confidence, and improving focus and behavior.
“Brody has an absolutely wonderful disposition and is the perfect pet to support the emotional needs of our students,” said Tansey.
Simpson has been a teacher in the district for over 30 years and her two daughters are also currently faculty members; Bridget Simpson also works at Roosevelt and teaches third grade and Kelly Resende is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) for the district.
“Ms. Simpson was the perfect choice as Brody’s handler,” said the superintendent. “... Brody will be a part of the South Plainfield School District for many years to come.”
“It is an honor to be Brody’s handler. Our family absolutely loves this little guy,” said Simpson, extending thanks to the board of education and Dr. Tansey for this opportunity.
“Brody is the first therapy dog for the district. He made history,” she said. “The students are super excited, as are the staff. We can’t wait until he can be in the schools.”