As students and staff arrived at school for the start of a new day of instruction on Feb. 6, all was expected to go as usual. However, a visit from a certain someone made the day all the more special.

From the moment she entered the school, Amélie, a canine companion of Monique Paes, captured the hearts of everyone she passed by. Through her joyful and social personality, the 5-year-old female labradoodle quickly settled in and had a fun time playing and hanging out with residents of the school.

Amélie was originally brought to school by her owner, Monique Paes, to see if she was eligible to become an emotional support dog for the school via the Good Dog Foundation. The organization focuses on training dogs to become more emotionally connected to people, which in turn helps with better coping skills in non-ideal situations for an individual.

“Animals really help with emotional balance,” Ms. Paes said. She shares that if she can get Amélie a certificate from the program, bringing her to school will overall be a great benefit for students and will reduce the amount of stress, hostility and fatigue.

“Mental health issues are a real thing,” she said.

Ms. Paes believes having Amélie around in school will put a lot more smiles on people’s faces and help act as a destresser from the tiring days students may have.

With Amélie already being Ms. Paes’ personal emotional support animal, she is well-equipped with the skills needed to act cordially and accordingly in a school environment. She got a positive reaction from staff and students who met her.

Some of Amélie’s hobbies include eating, hanging out, visiting her friends, playing fetch, learning tricks and playing out in the snow. Her bubbly personality has made her presence quite known around the school, and students and staff are surely anticipating her next visit to Bronx River.

Ms. Paes hopes to bring her again, stating that “I want to be able to share with others what she provided for me.”