Greenfield-Central Community Schools in Greenfield, Indiana, has welcomed five new puppies into their therapy dog program, Paws of GC. The school district received a grant to train these pups for one year, but they are seeking additional funds to cover the expenses of raising and training the dogs, which can cost up to $35,000 per dog. The therapy dogs, Ky and Caden, have already made a positive impact on students following the COVID-19 pandemic, and the program aims to expand its reach with the new class of puppies.
Community support is crucial to keeping the program running, as the dogs help students remain in the classroom and contribute to a healthier community. The staff and students have embraced the therapy dogs, and the program is looking for donations to continue training and certifying the new puppies. The puppies are already in schools, getting accustomed to being around groups of people, and are being cared for by school staff members.
The training process for therapy dogs is rigorous, and it will take at least two years to fully train and certify the new class of puppies. The dogs are currently focusing on basic training before they can formally start their therapy training. Donations for the program can be sent directly to the Greenfield-Central Community Schools district office. The school administration is hopeful that the community will support their efforts to ensure the success of the Paws of GC program and the positive impact it has on students.
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