Montgomery County Council proclaims April 2026 Therapy Animal Appreciation Month

Montgomery County’s council formally proclaimed April 2026 as Therapy Animal Appreciation Month on April 21, recognizing volunteer handlers and local therapy-animal organizations for regular visits to schools, libraries, hospitals, courts and senior-living communities.

The proclamation, presented as of April 21, 2026, names Therapy Dog Appreciation Day (April 11) and National Therapy Animal Day (April 30) and notes that therapy teams across the county provide “thousands of visits each year” that help reduce stress and support learning and recovery, according to the council’s text.

Council Vice President Marilyn Balcombe thanked handlers and volunteers for their work and the “joy” therapy animals bring to settings across the county. “It’s the people, the trainers, the volunteers, the handlers that really make this connection work,” Balcombe said, adding that the animals and their teams bring comfort to residents of all ages.

Harriet, who identified herself as from Montgomery County Public Schools, told the council that handlers and therapy dogs volunteer in libraries, hospitals and nursing homes and provide calming support for students and other community members. “They do this out of the love and the kindness of their hearts,” Harriet said, urging appreciation for the time volunteers contribute.

Melissa Reagan, a social worker who requested the proclamation, described seeing the impact of therapy-dog visits across multiple settings and thanked council staff for the recognition. Reagan noted that therapy animals also support veterans; she recalled volunteering with veterans and described how the animals can be important in difficult moments. “These dogs make a wonderful addition to making sure that the mental health for kiddos are also met,” Reagan said.

Representatives and volunteers from local organizations attended the ceremony, including Fidos for Freedom, Pet Partners, People Animals in Love, Warrior Canine Connection and National Capital Therapy Dogs. The proclamation expresses the council’s appreciation to these organizations, volunteers and their animals for providing comfort, connection and support to Montgomery County residents.

The council read the proclamation into the record and presented it on April 21, 2026; the transcript does not record a formal roll-call vote on the proclamation.

Next steps: the proclamation is a formal recognition by the council; no follow-up action or budget allocation was recorded in the meeting transcript.