Therapy dogs will be visiting PMHS on Thursday May 11 to provide affection to students. This event will take place afterschool at 3:11 in the midst of a week with several AP exams.

The special event is being organized by the Pelham Together Youth Council and the PMHS PTA. It will take place on the walk outside of the high school main entrance, lasting an hour.  

“Pelham Together initiatives focus on bringing students together and focusing on their mental health,” said senior Grace Colkin, Pelham Together Youth Council member. “The therapy dogs were one way to support students during stressful times.”

The AP exams occurring at school on the 11 are AP World and AP Physics, which many  Pelham students will be taking. The special visit from these animals will provide stress-release and comfort for those taking these exams and others. This date was also selected because May is the nationally-recognized Mental Health Awareness Month.

“I’m excited about it because I love dogs, and they bring jpy to people and provide support to anyone,” said sophomore Sophia Greco.

Bringing service animals to the school has been an aspiration of many staff members, students, and families for several years. It will be available to all for no cost as long as a permission slip is completed.

“It will make people happy,” said health teacher Kimberly Lundy. “It will help anxiety because the dogs will provide a terrific break from a stressful testing environment. It brings a different energy to the space which will make it fun and therapeutic in a very overwhelming AP environment.”

The dogs will be brought to the school by Therapy Dogs of Rockland/Intermountain Therapy Animals. According to their website, their goal is to, “Help people heal, to help children learn, and to bring the joy of human-animal companionship to everyone.”