Therapy dog Bella goes to Bell Baxter High School everyday – and she is credited with changing lives.
Her range of duties includes supporting children experiencing anxiety or distress, and one pupil said the beloved Golden Retriever had helped them through one of their “darkest days”.
She has even enticed pupils absent long-term to return to class.
But now the school needs to raise £1000 to keep their therapy dog for another year, to pay for her insurance, tracker and ongoing training.
Bella has ‘changed lives’
One of Bella’s most valuable roles is working with young learners who are refusing to attend school.
Some of these pupils have not been in school for years – but with Bella’s help they can get back into the building and gently and slowly back into classes.
She is a very special and gorgeous girl.”
Mum of pupil with severe anxiety
The parent of a child who benefited from Bella’s expertise said: “Bella has changed my daughter’s life.
“She has supported her from severe anxiety to be able to restart classes with friends. She is a very special and gorgeous girl.”
An S1 pupil with extreme anxiety, who stopped attending school in P7, started the school day by rating it zero out of 10.
After taking Bella for a walk round the school, however, he ended up rating his day a 9.5 out of 10.
‘Calm, kind presence’
Bella also attends some mainstream classes and even enjoys sitting on chairs next to pupils, much to their amusement.
Linda Jeffrey, the school’s principal teacher of enhanced support, said: “Bella regularly engages with young people who are experiencing anxiety or distress in school for a variety of reasons – offering her calm, kind presence.
“Sometimes young people just need a friendly face in a big building and Bella is often greeted in the corridors as they pass – so much so that when the bell rings for the change of period she often goes and stands in the middle of the corridor, as dozens of pupils stop to pat her on their way to their next class.”
Fundraising for Bella’s training
The school is selling tickets for a prize draw which sees a range of prizes up for grabs thanks to local businesses, including tickets for the R&A 150th Golf Open at St Andrews.
Bella came to Bell Baxter after pupils Callum Christie and Logan Fenton campaigned to purchase a therapy dog, having learned of the huge benefits it could have in reducing stress and anxiety in young people.
The school then raised £2500 for Bella’s initial purchase and set up costs, and when she is not on duty she lives at home with Mrs Jeffrey.
Bella has passed her Silver Kennel Club and Therapy Dog assessments and is working towards Gold Kennel Club Training, facilitated by Oliver’s Army Assistance and Therapy Dogs, based in Lochgelly.
She is also trained with the Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) to work with the schools wellbeing ambassadors.
Bella is not the only therapy pet helping local schoolchildren and students. Read here about some others:
Monifieth High School’s cavapoochon Shelby
Collie Clova’s visits to St Andrews University
Dachshunds Belly at Dundee and Angus College and Bandit at Blairgowrie High School
