Wisconsin School for the Deaf - The Wisconsin Times Vol. 134 No. 4 Summer 2013 | Page 18

Dog Therapy
WSD Behavior Specialist, Mrs. Pollyann
Williams-Slappey is very popular…especially
on Fridays! Each Friday throughout the school
year, Polly brings her three Cavalier King
Charles spaniels with her to the classroom.
Individual and groups of both students and staff
clamor to pet the pups. Some have purchased
and brought their own bags of treats to share
with the dogs on these Friday visits. Some need
the unconditional acceptance and love that the
dogs offer. Still others enjoy petting the dogs
about as much as the dogs enjoy receiving the
petting. Everyone who enters and leaves the
visiting area has a smile on their face.
Dog Therapy began in 2006 when Educational Assistant, Mrs. Callie Davis, had a brand new puppy and asked
for permission to bring him to school. Due to the positive reactions, Mrs. Davis enrolled her dog, a mixed breed,
named Hannah, in a basic therapy dog training course. At that time, Hannah came to WSD everyday, and the
students in Mrs. Joan Arm eld’s classroom completed all the care for Hannah.
Mrs. Davis’ Hannah and the Slappey dogs all completed the course taught by Bark Market in Delavan. The
Pet Smart store also offers this class. The main points that a dog needs to master include: remain calm around
wheelchairs, walkers and canes, no snarling noises, willingness to let multiple people pet, touch, and brush their
body, and an overall gentle personality. The results have been very bene cial. Dogs can be “used as a calming
technique for children with autism”, shares Mrs. Slappey. “They can be used as a reinforcer for completed
school work, or can be scheduled to use with speci c students”. The one downside is that Hannah is afraid of
the group of three spaniels and does not come regularly anymore.
Any animal brought onto the WSD campus needs to have an Animal Request Form on le. This is required
for any hamsters, cockatiels, chinchilla, chickens, snakes, or any other living creature. This is required for a
one-time visit or to keep an animal in the classroom.WSD students have shown themselves to be very good
caretakers of all of the animals brought to WSD. WSD has a long history of animals on campus. Years ago when
the superintendents lived on campus, their family dog became the campus pal. See, you are smiling now too!

Senior Moments

Summer 2013 - 18