Animal therapy for teens

Howard S. Billings High School in Chateauguay has recently welcomed new four-legged members to their community. Zoé and Jack are some of the animals that regularly visit students and school staff to help them get through difficult times. Every week, about 50 students spend time with dogs, rabbits and even a dove. The individual and group zootherapy sessions provide support to students who suffer from stress or sadness. “I feel more excited to go to school on Wednesdays because I know that I get to see Zoé, 8th grade student Jae Davidson says while petting the 4-year-old golden retriever. It really calms my anxiety." Grade 9 student Ava Larin says she also feels happier and more calm. Through animal activities, therapy attendants develop ties with students to better understand their reality. They work in collaboration with other school professionals, such as social workers, teachers and educators. Some kids also learn to open up to others by bonding with the pets. “[Animal therapy] does increase self-esteem, program coordinator Sonia Iaboni explains. I find it breaks the isolation, they’re less introverted. You see a more positive interaction and they’ve also made friends, right? They’ve kind of crossed paths, they’ve talked about their experience”. Iaboni says she also noticed that teens became more motivated. “Some of the students that we chose to participate in this program were students who were not coming to school and soon as [the animals] started coming, their attendance increased”. More support needed during the pandemic The program was originally planned to start during last year’s exam period and was put on hiatus due to COVID-19. But Howard S. Billings staff quickly realized that teens were having a very hard time with the pandemic. “We noticed such an increase of students suffering from anxiety, that we had to do something”, Sandra Grant says, who works with the Individualized Education Program support team. The animal therapy sessions finally began after Spring Break with Guylaine Normandeau, principal of the Institut de zoothérapie du Québec-International, with intern Chantal Pion and Learning Centre attendant Donna Rossi. [caption id="attachment_103967" align="alignnone" width="444"] Donna Rossi and her dog Jack Daniels. "He only has one eye. I think it helps kids feel like they’re not alone”, says the attendant. (Photo: Le Soleil - Denis Germain)[/caption] Naming your feelings According to Normandeau, who has worked in the field for 30 years, the need has grown enormously with the stress of the pandemic. “One of the reasons is that young people can't find the exact words for the suffering they are going through, she said. The animal allows us to help them say the words they can't say. These are things that are said simply. The interesting thing is that the kids aren't on the defensive at that moment, so things just come naturally".