By Michele Cucinotta, DFC Coordinator, Barnegat Schools
Our therapy dog program began with a shitzhu named Tink at the Lillian M. Dunfee Elementary School in 2016. Tink was used for specific students for a variety of reasons, such as anxiety, building communications skills, working on behavior issues, and more.
Tink, who was owned by Joann Fedorczyk of Barnegat, was trained as a therapy dog through Canine Good Citizenship (CGC) and Therapy Dog Program. Winnie, a maltese shitzhu mix, started as a puppy by following Tink’s lead for two years before Tink retired at age 14. Both worked at Dunfee until the pandemic shut them down on March 13, 2020.
Beginning during the 2021-22 school year, Winnie Wednesdays have had a huge impact on helping the students readjust to in-person learning and managing the stress that goes along with the long-running pandemic. In addition, we expanded the program and Winnie now visits two schools in the district, and two other dogs have joined the program and are visiting five schools.
The program has been a huge success and has led to many positive outcomes for students. It has helped to discourage absenteeism and has created a warm and friendly environment. Students and staff have really responded to the program; the boost they get from petting Winnie or just seeing her in the halls has a lasting and exponential effect on morale in our schools.
Take it from Barnegat, every school should have a therapy dog like Winnie!