‘Chill’ facility dogs support Forest Hills students

KENTWOOD, Mich. (WOOD) — Forest Hills Public Schools is expanding its facility dog program to additional buildings.

One of the dogs has been providing emotional support to students and staff at Meadow Brook Elementary. The dog named Rubble was assigned to the school in the spring. Students like fourth graders Jabari and Theo look forward to being welcomed into the building by their furry friend.

“He’s fluffy. He’s pretty chill,” Jabari said. “Everyone wants to pet him.”

In addition to cheering up the students, Rubble made a bigger impact — like helping when Theo was having trouble with another student.

“We’re actually really close friends now. And I think part of what brought us together is when we would go into a room and Rubble would be there and we would pet him together and I think that just brought us closer in bond,” Theo said.

Rubble is one of six facility dogs in Forest Hills Public Schools . A seventh is scheduled to start at another school next week.

Kim Heys, the president of Interquest C.A.R.E.S. in Michigan, trains the facility dogs and their handlers.

“In 2012, I actually had a school district in Chicago approach me about how one of our Interquest detection canines who worked in a school was going and making visits to their counseling office after it retired and they were noticing how much of an impact it had on kids,” Heys said.

She started a program to train the dogs to meet the need. They are picked for their temperament and trained for obedience and to ignore distractions.

“No matter what’s going to happen around it, it’s not going to have a major negative reaction. So a bunch of books spill by it, a locker slams by it, kids run through the hallway” and the dogs won’t be bothered, Heys said.

Ada Vista Elementary School Principal Allison Woodside oversees the program. Hers was the first building to receive a facility dog. She said the dogs help energize students to learn and improves their mood.

“This is a really important piece of the puzzle so that everyone feels that sense of belonging and is excited to come to school,” Woodside said.

The dog and the training costs $8,000, not including other expenses like care.

“One of the most amazing things about the program is essentially I would say 80% of the costs, 85% of the costs, are covered by community partnerships,” Woodside said.

Those partners include SpartanNash, Chow Hound Pet Supplies in Cascade, five veterinary clinics in the area and student donors.

The district is looking to expand the program in the near future.

“We kind of do a combination of which schools are ready, what process they’re in, where we’re at in the year and then also the right dog match as well, so I’m thinking we will probably have another two buildings this year,” Woodside said.

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