As reported by the BBC News, two therapy dogs have been said to have been a “really positive influence” on the pupils at special schools in Belfast
Specially trained Labradoodles Mac and Millie have recently been helping pupils at Fleming Fulton School and Harberton School.
The therapy dogs help with all aspects of learning, developing communication, motivation and social skills.
Mac and Millie were both trained by Assistance Dogs Northern Ireland.
Karen Hancock, the principal of Fleming Fulton, said: “Everybody just adores him [Mac].
“He goes right across school, so he goes into therapy departments and helps children in therapy. We have children who go up to physio who would be taken out of their wheelchairs,” said Ms Hancock.
Mac’s sister Millie ‘works’ five days of the school week a few hundred yards away, in Harberton Special School.
Harberton’s principal James Curran said that Millie helped reduce pupils stress.
Mr Curran said: “We have a high percentage of children with autism here in school
“We know the difficulties that some autistic children have with receptive language and understanding words when people are talking to them all the time.
“Millie doesn’t talk so for them she’s a quiet companion.
“Quite often they’ve no interest in speaking to me because I don’t mean anything to them, but Millie seems to mean something to every child in our school.”
P7 pupil Carlie supported by saying: “Some people might have really bad anxiety and Millie’s an anxiety dog so she’s a good help.”
Mac lives with Karen Hancock and Millie lives with James Curran. The brother and sister travel to and from school every day and regularly meet up for walks during the day.
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