Carlson Elementary School welcomes new therapy dog

By Olivia Jewell Love

Carlson Elementary School gained a new member of the staff for the spring semester, one with fur and four legs.

Elliott the therapy dog will be joining her handler, Jenny Pyler, every day at school to spend time with students and staff. 

Pyler was awarded an Innovations Grant from the school district in September 2022 so she and her faithful companion could take weekly training sessions toward becoming a certified therapy dog. Elliott earned her Canine Good Citizen certification and her Therapy Dog Certification on Jan. 6, 2023. 

Students at Carlson listened to an instructional session on how to interact with Elliott, and they learned some of the expectations for how the pup will exist in their elementary space. 

Pyler explained in a letter to the parents that precautions are being taken to make sure this is a safe experience for everyone. 

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This story is from Colorado Community Media. CBS News Colorado is a newsgathering partner with CCM, a network of two dozen newspapers and online publications serving eight metro-area counties on the Front Range.