Senate Says, ‘Good Bill!’ to Put Therapy Dogs in Classrooms

New Jersey elementary teachers may soon have furry friends in their classrooms. On Jan. 30, the state Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan bill establishing a pilot program to place therapy dogs in elementary school wellness programs. 

School districts, including Barnegat, Clifton, and New Providence, have relied on specially trained dogs. The legislation would compel the Department of Education to set up pilot programs in urban, rural, and suburban districts throughout the state. Among the schools that apply, six would be chosen.

“Research suggests that interacting with therapy dogs can help relieve symptoms of stress and anxiety that often impact students’ mental health throughout the school year,” said Senate Minority Leader Anthony Bucco, a Republican from Boonton. The dogs, he said, may “support students who face various academic challenges.” 

Bucco co-sponsored the bill with Senator James Beach, a Democrat from Voorhees.

The American Kennel Club supports the bill.

“A therapy dog can provide a valuable sense of reassurance, joy, or calmness to people experiencing stressful, lonely or depressing situations, and in other times in their lives,” the club, which promotes purebred dog breeding and ownership, said in a statement on its website.

Clifton’s first therapy dog, Chewie, arrived in September 2023 and worked alone to serve over 11,000 students across 17 schools. It has since added Kobe, Teddy and Solo.