Board approves therapy dog Rosie for Rogers to support mental‑health services
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Summary
The board unanimously approved a request to add a therapy dog, Rosie, to the district's mental-health services at Rogers High School; the handler has completed certification and health requirements and the administration described protocols for use and scheduling.
The West Irondequoit Board of Education approved a request May 8 to add a second therapy dog to Rogers High School to support the district's mental-health team.
Administrators presented the application and said the handler, Leah Petty (listed in the application as Miss Cuddy in the meeting materials), has completed required certification steps, provided medical documentation and vaccination records, and developed a management plan for building access and scheduling so the dog would not overlap with an existing therapy dog at Rogers. Administrators described Rosie's role as crisis response, emotional regulation work and teaching coping skills with students assigned to the mental-health team.
The board voted 5–0 to approve the request. Administration said they will continue to monitor scheduling and building protocols for therapy animals and ensure handlers comply with district procedures and any medical or allergy accommodations.