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Absecon district expands therapy‑animal program and plans therapy farm funded by grants and donations
Summary
District staff described growth of the therapy‑animal program (Skye retired with ~1,381 visits; Hope ~1,100 visits), introduced trainee dogs Luna and Rona with certification timelines and announced a 2026 therapy farm to be funded entirely by grants and donations at no cost to taxpayers.
The Absecon Public Schools District told attendees it is expanding its animal‑assisted intervention program, adding trainee dogs and planning a therapy farm that administrators said will be covered by grants and donations, not taxpayer dollars.
Mrs. Kirchner reviewed the current roster: Skye (Greater Swiss Mountain dog) retired after about 1,381 visits and Hope (also a Greater Swiss Mountain dog) has made more than 1,100 visits. The district has added two animals in training: Rona, a 5‑year‑old golden retriever the district hopes will be in classrooms by January 2026, and Luna, a five‑month‑old Greater Swiss Mountain dog being trained with a goal of certification by the end of the 2025–26 school year. "Therapy dogs cannot be certified until they're a year old," the presenter said, noting those certification timelines.
Looking beyond dogs, Mrs. Kirchner said the district will add a therapy farm in 2026 with two goats and two sheep to support animal‑assisted interventions for students, particularly the district’s growing special education population. She said the farm will be funded entirely with grants and donations from community partners and will be "at no cost to the taxpayers." She listed community partners involved in funding or support, including Absecon Veterinary partners, local farms and corporate donors.
Why it matters: administrators emphasized that animal‑assisted programs help students with emotional regulation, literacy confidence and counseling supports. The expansion is intended to broaden those supports and provide additional nonclinical interventions in classrooms and small groups.
What’s next: district staff said training and certification timelines will be followed and that more details on the therapy farm’s launch and partners will be shared as plans progress.
