Burned out of Eton Fire, Altadena schools are bringing in comfortable dogs to help students adapt to the new normal phase two months after the fire.
School principal Jennifer Foley Tolbert said the dogs raised the spirit of their children.
“It’s a great joy to have these treatment dogs on campus today. You can see hope and see the bright light it brings to your child’s face,” she said.
Saint Mark’s School students have moved to EF Academy, a private boarding school for high school students in Pasadena. St. Marks is a kindergarten up to 6th grade and uses part of the campus space.
Monica Gillespe, who works on the ropes in San Diego Love, North County, helped more than a dozen therapy dogs and their owners travel to schools from San Diego, Orange County and Los Angeles.
“We’ll see their body language change soon,” Garespe said. “Smile, how can you not smile when your dog comes in? And when you’re petting your dog, you actually experience emotional relief.”
Approximately 240 children were forced to move as a result of the fire.
Adrian, sixth grade, was happy to see his classmates again.
“Yeah,” he said. “Yeah, I was a bit worried not to look at them that much.”
Another sixth grader, Gianna, lost her home in the fire and is currently staying at Lacresenka.
“To see our kids every day, their resilience, their joy, it empowers us all to continue,” Foley Tolbert said.
Foley Tolbert also lost her home across from school.
“Not only did we come to know that we lost not only our school campus but my home, it was devastating,” she said.
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