Narr: Not everyone gets excited about going to school each day.

Fortunately, these two dogs can't wait to get to class.

After all, they have important jobs to do.

Kristy: They know when they are coming to work and they're ready to go.

- Good morning!

Narr: On any given day, you can find Jeter and Scout, making their rounds at campuses throughout the Selma Unified School District.

Student: Youre so cute.

Kristy: Good girl scout.

Narr: Today, these certified therapy dogs are visiting students at Selma High School.

Kristy: Jeter and Scout...

They help provide a safe and supportive environment for students.

Jeter has been with Selma Unified since 2016.

I call him my lead therapy dog and Scout.

She is four and a half years old and I'm hoping she will be taking taking the reins for a Jeter.

She'll continue to learn and work beside him.

They're my colleagues theyre my co-therapists.

Narr: Kristy Rangel is the proud owner of these two dogs.

She's also the lead mental health clinician and clinical supervisor for Selma Unified.

Kristy: The stigma associated with mental health services, you know, it was pretty high.

We had a lot of students and parents who did not want mental services.

So when we introduced Jeter to the school district and he was board approved and we went through the whole process, we saw an increase of interest.

And Jeter became a really big part of our community, the school community and the Selma community.

And so with him being around the stigma associated with mental health has really decreased.

Narr: At 13 years old, Jeter is starting to show his age and is happy to let Scout take over as lead therapy dog these days.

Kristy: Hi, Kennedi.

How's it going?

Kennedi: I just needed to talk, right now, but- Kristy: Okay, let's go on in.

In session with me.

They'll go and I'll sit next to them and they will be there and be that comfort and support that students need.

Kristy: So what's been going on this week?

Kennedi: I just had a rough week this last week.

- Today was like my first real session.

I really liked it.

And I love dogs, so I feel like it's like just a really good way of like releasing your feelings and like, talking about what you need to talk about.

- It's just been a lot.

Kristy: Yeah, she just wants to make sure and she wants to let you know she's there for you.

- They allow those defensive barriers to, you know, to go down.

And they provide an environment where students feel like they can share what's going on with them.

Narr: Jonna also got to experience having a pup next to her during her counseling session.

Kristy: Hi.

Welcome.

How are you doing?

Go ahead, have a seat.

Jonna: It's nice being able to see them.

Kristy: So how's it going today, Jonna?

Jonna: Um, t's okay.

It's been a lot.

A lot having to balance.

- It lifts my spirit, you know, like it helps me feel not as anxious.

Kristy: With everything that's going on with school.

It's kind of hard to find that balance.

Kristy: Yeah.

Jonna: Yeah.

Kristy: Studies show that, you know, with dogs, it's like just seeing them, petting them.

You know, it just releases that, like, happy hormone, the release of oxytocin.

Narr: It's not just the students who benefit from having the pups being on campus.

It's teachers too.

Greg: Cmon scout.

Greg: I am definitely one of those teachers.

- Youre such a good girl.

You are.

Its just a stressful job.

Teaching isn't the easiest profession.

And so getting a release for that stress with these dogs, it lets me go back to my classroom and be a better teacher.

They pop in every once in a while and the kids, their excitement level definitely goes way up and they want to pet and play with them.

And it really does change the mood in the room.

Kids have changed in my 27 years here.

They seem to be under more stress and they seem to be having more issues, social issues and psychological issues.

So having these people on campus and having the dogs on campus have been a godsend.

It's really has improved our campus as a whole.

Kristy: You guys ready?

Greg: Everybody say bye Scout!

Bye Jeter!

Kristy: It's really amazing to see the way the culture and the environment is so accepting of Jeter and Scout and just seeing that Jeter and Scout are making an impact and helping these students feel supported and accepted.

It's so satisfying and just very fulfilling.

Jonna: It's really important because not everyone gets that.

And so I think it's really special that we have it here at Selma High School.

Therapy dogs help humans in all kinds of places hospitals, nursing homes, even airports where they soothe nervous travelers.

In California, colleges like Sacramento State, CSU, Long Beach and UC Berkeley used therapy dogs to alleviate stress during finals week.

To earn a therapy dog title from the American Kennel Club, Dogs must complete a certain number of visits.

Starting with ten recorded visits to earn a novice title all the way up to becoming a supreme therapy dog with 600 visits.