First Lady Justice brings new therapy dog to Doddridge County High School

WEST UNION, W.Va. (WBOY) — As students are set to return to Doddridge County High School next week, they’ll be greeted by a new companion, a golden retriever named Chloe.

Chloe comes to Doddridge County as part of First Lady Cathy Justice’s Friends With Paws initiative, which is a partnership between Communities in Schools and the West Virginia Department of Education.

First Lady Justice said that every superintendent in the state was asked if they’d like to receive a therapy dog at a school in their county, and that Doddridge County Schools Superintendent Scott Cochran was the one who determined which school in the county would be the best fit for this program.

Cochran told 12 News that Communities in Schools is currently housed at Doddridge County High School, Doddridge County Middle School and Doddridge County Elementary School. He added that at each school, there’s a designated staff member dedicated solely to the program “which supports our students in various ways that goes above and beyond our school counselors,”

“We’re thrilled to have Chloe,” said Cochran. “She’s gonna be placed at Doddridge County High School, so she will serve as another layer of support along with our Communities in Schools program and our Holistic Child Department here at Doddridge County.”

First Lady Justice told 12 News that Chloe and the other therapy dogs distributed through this program come from a company called Ultimate Canine, which is based out of Indiana. At its home facility, Ultimate Canine trains the dogs for purposes such as this program and offers a mix of Labrador Retrievers, Labradoodles, and Golden Retrievers.

She added that the trainers at Ultimate Canine handpick the dogs for each assignment, and determine which one is a good fit based on the age range of students at each school because sometimes younger children tend to be more playful and like to roughhouse with dogs more…so a dog must be selected that’s trained to handle that well.

“These dogs are there every day, they’re a constant staple in these children’s lives. They’re there every morning to meet them off the bus,” said Justice. “We’re seeing improved behavior, certainly improved attendance. I mean, it’s just off the scale what’s going on.”

“And the children know that they can depend on Chloe, they know that she’s there every day,” Justice added. “Chloe’s not gonna judge them, she’s not gonna make fun of them…she’s their buddy.”

First Lady Justice encourages anybody who isn’t familiar with therapy dogs to stop by Doddridge County High School and see Chloe in her natural environment. “See what she does, see the bond that she has with the children in the schools,” said Justice, adding that “she’s really just a learning tool—a great learning tool.”

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