Gilmer County Elementary School gets a new therapy dog

GLENVILLE, W.Va. (WBOY) — A new furry friend arrived at Gilmer County Elementary School on Tuesday, marking the 36th therapy dog to be placed in a West Virginia school.

Labrador retriever Bo—short for Boaz—was provided to Gilmer County Elementary as part of Friends With Paws, a collaborative program between Communities in Schools, the West Virginia Department of Education as well as Gov. Jim Justice and First Lady Cathy Justice. Bo was trained by Ultimate Canine, a nationwide program that trains dogs for use in various programs.

The program has been championed by First Lady Cathy Justice as helpful for relieving stress and providing students with another source of connection. The students at Gilmer County Elementary were very excited to meet their new furry friend on Tuesday as they greeted him with what Principal Tyson called a “pup rally.”

When asked what she was most looking forward to doing with Bo, first grader Callie Chapman said “cuddling him.”

“[Bo] has been a part of our therapy dog program since he was a puppy so he’s actually been in training ever since he was born quite honestly, and he is just a super loving guy. He loves the kids,” Ultimate Canine Trainer Jolene Rashley said.

While working at Gilmer County Elementary, Bo will stay with teacher Sonja Hartshorn and will work each day to brighten the moods of each student.

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