Therapy dog brings comfort to students at the Arnprior Public Library

Therapy dog Cooper stopped in at the Arnprior Library to comfort a group of Grade 7 students. CTV’s Katelyn Wilson reports.

The Arnprior Library is usually filled with the sound of pages turning and quiet chatter, but that changes when Cooper, the golden retriever, walks in.

The six-year-old dog, evaluated through the Saint John Ambulance therapy dog program, has a special gift for lifting spirits.

His calm presence and wagging tail make him the centre of attention the moment he enters the room.

“Whenever you pet him and everybody’s happy with him, he gives back the same energy,” said Charlotte, a Grade 7 student at St. Joseph’s Catholic School. “He’s just the best, he has so much joy.”

Cooper has been evaluated to work with those 12 and older, and his handler Carrie Phillips, hopes to expand that to include younger children.

The happy golden retriever often pays visits to nursing and retirement homes, and Cooper’s latest stop brought him to a group of Grade 7 students at St. Joseph’s Catholic School.

“Grade seven can be tricky. Their moods can be all over the place, but he definitely brings them up,” said teacher Christina Dewar.

For students, Cooper’s presence brought comfort and joy.

“I was kind of having a bad day,” said Issac. “He came to me because he saw that sad expression.”

Every smile is a reminder for Cooper’s handler Phillips on why she started the journey in the first place.

“I was introduced when I was in the Heart Institute for a procedure last December,” said Phillips. “It just made such a difference for me to have a dog come and visit me while I was recovering there, and it was such a special experience.”

Now, she’s paying that kindness forward through Cooper one visit at a time.

“I think it’s a wonderful program,” said Carolyn Swayze, youth services librarian at the Arnprior Library. “If anyone has a dog that they think would be, as lovely as a Cooper, it’s such a positive thing to pursue.”

Once he’s evaluated to work with younger kids, Swayze says the goal is to have a reading program for young readers with Cooper by their side.

“He’s a very nonjudgmental and loving companion to read to. So, it really helps when they’re maybe going through some struggles to have that support,” she said.

In a library filled with stories, Cooper’s is one of compassion, proving that sometimes the best kind of therapy isn’t spoken, it’s shared with a furry friend by your side.

More information on the Saint Job’s Ambulance therapy dog program can be found at https://sja.ca/en/community-services/therapy-dog-program.

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