Facility dog helps students with anxiety, mental health at Madison Elementary School – WAAY

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The school year may be over, but students at Madison Elementary already have a new classmate to look forward to seeing in the fall.  
“Having Barnie at Madison reminds me why I became an educator,” Counselor Stefanie Cook said.  
Stefanie Cook now walks the halls of Madison Elementary with a special furry friend named Barnie by her side. 
“He does not belong to me. He belongs to Madison Elementary,” Cook said.  
Cook proposed bringing the facility dog on campus back in 2019 when she learned about Service Dogs Alabama at a school conference.  
“Barnie was actually a service dog at first. He could do a lot of the mobility assistance training, but they found out he really loves children and really loved being around people, so they put him in the facility dog training,” Cook said.  
The dog training program costs $8,000, but the State Department of Education footed the majority of the bill. The students raised money to pay for the remaining cost.  
“They are excited when they come into the building,” Cook said. “It used to be ‘Hey, Mrs. Cook.’ Now, it’s ‘Barnie!’ They are so excited to have him in the classroom.” 
It was just in these last few weeks of this school year that Barnie officially became a Madison Hornet. Cook said he has already made a difference. She has noticed kids are opening up to her more, and if a child is struggling, Barnie can sense it. 
“He’s trained to detect adrenaline and cortisol, and if he senses a child is experiencing stress and anxiety, he’ll point that out to me,” she said.  
Cook said he is an important resource, especially since the pandemic has taken a toll on her students.
“We’re seeing more cases of anxiety, of stress, kids not knowing how to talk about their feelings, so we have to look for creative solutions to this problem,” Cook said. “It’s not going away, so we do have to think outside of the box, and he’s already been an amazing tool in helping me reach those kids.”
Barnie has already been spoiled by these students. Cook will take care of him outside of school, and she plans to continue his work throughout the summer through various programs.

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