In the hallways of Birmingham Public Schools, tails wag alongside backpacks and sneakers. Whether nestled beside a student in a counseling session or padding through a science class, the members of the Canine Comfort Crew are more than just pets: They’re a vital part of the district’s mission to create safer, more supportive environments for all.
Since its launch in the fall of 2021, the Canine Comfort Crew program has grown from two therapy dogs to 13 across nearly every school in the district. A collaboration between Birmingham Public Schools, local donors and training organizations like 4Paws Strong and Ugly Dog Training, the initiative is a heartfelt response to the increasing mental health needs of students and staff, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’ve really seen our dogs transform our school culture,” says Lindsey Walton, BPS curriculum coordinator and one of the program’s founders. “Students say the dogs help them feel calmer. They’re helping kids regulate emotions, build friendships and they give general boosts of joy and morale throughout the day.”
Thanks to generous funding from the Rotary Club of Birmingham, DFCU Financial, Eagles for Children and Oakland County Mental Health grants, the program continues to expand. Each therapy dog is trained and certified, then paired with a primary staff handler. The dogs live with their handlers and are fully integrated into the school day.
At Seaholm High School, Bernedoodles Maple and Ernie are local celebrities. Ernie’s handler, special education-teacher Adam Rosenfeld, has seen the impact firsthand.
“There’s real science behind it — having a dog in the room can lower cortisol levels and blood pressure, and it just sets a calmer tone,” Rosenfeld says. “It’s amazing to watch how students, especially those with anxiety or autism, bond with Ernie. For some of my kids, he’s a daily source of comfort, a constant in their lives.”
Rosenfeld explained that the dogs don’t just help students. They’ve changed the culture for staff as well.
“It’s heartwarming. I see it in the faces of my coworkers,” he says. “When Ernie’s walking down the hallway, people just light up.”
Ernie and Maple begin their day alongside Rosenfeld and fellow teacher Allyson Holloway, then rotate throughout the school for check-ins, sensory breaks or simply quiet companionship.
“Sometimes he’s with me in the autism classroom, sometimes he’s in ceramics or outside with a student who needs a walk. It’s a natural sensory break, and it’s meaningful,” Rosenfeld says.
One of Rosenfeld’s students, a freshman who entered high school feeling anxious and disconnected, found unexpected comfort in Ernie.
“He told me, ‘I can’t believe I’m in a class with Ernie,’” Rosenfeld says. “That connection helped him settle in, and now he’s thriving.”
For Rosenfeld, Ernie’s dual identity sums it all up.
“When he’s at school, he’s Superman wearing the vest, doing the work, supporting students. But when we get home and take the vest off, he’s Clark Kent. He’s just a dog hanging out with me,” he says.
The program is thoughtfully structured to ensure the dogs’ well-being as well as that of the students. Each has downtime, a consistent routine and a network of secondary handlers to help with care throughout the day. Ernie and Maple, who are littermates, even get daily playtime together in a courtyard where classrooms peek out to watch the joyful scene — another small moment of happiness embedded in the school day.
As Walton noted, the long-term goal is simple but powerful: a dog in every school.
“In today’s world, students face more stress than ever. We want our schools to be places of emotional safety and connection. The Canine Comfort Crew is one way we’re making that happen,” she says.
In classrooms and corridors across Birmingham, these four-legged ambassadors of calm are quietly changing lives — one wag, one nuzzle, one shared moment of joy at a time.