On Tuesday, October 8 NCIS Mentor Teacher, Ms. Roletti surprised students and staff with a few furry friends. Roletti worked with non-profit organization Love on a Leash® to bring dogs to the NCIS campus to engage in pet therapy.
Love on a Leash® was formed in the early 1980s in San Diego County. As stated on their website they are, ”committed to bringing comfort, happiness, and healing to more people nationwide by increasing public awareness of pet therapy.”
While petting pups is exciting and fun, there was a greater purpose to bringing the dogs on campus. Pet therapy is used as a way to assist with mental and physical health as it can help individuals escape their troubles for a brief moment and act as a happy distraction.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), California, “studies show that dogs reduce stress, anxiety and depression, ease loneliness.”
UCLA Health states “the simple act of petting animals releases an automatic relaxation response.”
UCLA Health went on to say that, “humans interacting with animals have found that petting the animal promoted the release of serotonin, prolactin and oxytocin- all hormones that can play a part in elevating moods.” Pet therapy can be so helpful for our students and staff as it allows them to forget about their worries and responsibilities and have a moment to reset their mood.
