Board tables vote on contract with BluePath for full-time therapy dog at Webb Elementary

The Wethersfield Board of Education on Jan. 28, 2025, heard a detailed presentation about a proposed commitment with BluePath Service Dogs to place a full-time facility therapy dog at Webb Elementary School and then voted to table the motion for further information.

Webb principal Ken Craig described how a family at the school introduced the idea and said the district and community had pursued details about funding, training and operational logistics. "The dog is yours every day," parent David (Dave) Koothman said in describing the Berlin model he and others envisioned for Webb.

Proponents said the dog — referred to in testimony as a facility therapy dog — would be placed at Webb daily to support classroom learning, the district’s LEAP program and crisis response, and that BluePath would provide training and handlers. The presentation included anecdotal accounts of a therapy dog calming a student in the arrival area and of staff morale benefits in other districts.

Board members asked several operational questions in a prolonged public discussion: Who pays start-up and ongoing costs; how allergic or dog‑phobic students will be accommodated; how handlers and caretakers are trained and paid; where the dog would spend its day; insurance and liability; and whether the dog would be used across buildings for emergency response.

Superintendent Michael Emmett and principal Ken Craig told the board BluePath estimated a one-time acquisition cost at about $10,000 (the board packet listed that figure) and projected annual upkeep of roughly $1,500 for food and routine care. Craig said the Webb PTO had indicated support and that the school could raise start-up funds through its PTO and community donors. Emmett said district staff would check insurance and other district-level responsibilities before final approval.

Board members and public speakers raised accommodations for students with allergies or phobias. Craig said BluePath uses an opt-out process in partner districts and that the dog would be scheduled to avoid rooms with opted-out students; he added the dog would not routinely enter large communal spaces such as the cafeteria or auditorium.

Board members requested more detailed, itemized cost estimates, clarity on long-term fiscal responsibility (whether the district or school PTO would be responsible for ongoing veterinary care), formal insurance/ liability analysis, and a training schedule and job description for handlers.

After discussion, Vice Chair Matthew (Matt) Lacavoli moved to table the motion to approve the BluePath commitment until the next board meeting. The motion was seconded and carried; the board did not adopt the BluePath commitment at this meeting.

The board’s action preserves further study and follow-up; proponents urged the district to provide the specific budget and policy details the board requested so a final decision can be made at a future meeting.