Investing In Our Future
Bella’s Buddies K9U will bring Animal Assisted Therapy candidates into public school classrooms using teacher fosters and student-involved training to enrich the learning environment. After successfully completing the K9U program, graduates will be donated to veterans homes, public schools, churches, and other organizations who serve their communities.
Improve Self-Esteem Among Young People While Instilling A Desire to Serve Others
To provide public school students with positive academic, emotional and behavioral support using Animal Assisted Therapy. To expand student utilization of conflict resolution skills and proper techniques to engage in difficult and meaningful conversations. To ease test anxiety, offer grief support and motivate struggling students by involving them in the K9U training process.
Reduce School Violence
To share relationship-building skills and trustworthiness among young people using AAT and to foster a desire to help others. To utilize canines as a means of teaching self-respect and respect for others, emphasizing shared responsibilities and positive choices, impacting student self-esteem and confidence in the classroom. To serve other school districts in crisis by deploying student K9U teams to help with grief support. To encourage positive communication and constructive dialogue, including mediation, in order to best avoid physical altercations on school campus.
Use Teacher And Student To Train K9 Candidates for Service to Others
To teach canines proper calming techniques and self-regulation during moments of human stress or anxiety. To use students to teach basic obedience and respect of personal territory to future helper dogs.
Donate Trained Canines To Those in Need
To place graduates of the K9U program into state-run veterans homes through our partnership with Texas State Land Commissioner George P. Bush, and public schools where emotional and behavioral needs of the school community may be improved through the use of Animal Assisted Therapy. To provide for community opportunities to benefit from the use of Animal Assisted Therapy through visits by trained dogs, including but not limited to: courtroom support, Hospice, nursing homes, Child Protective Services, residential facilities for underage human trafficking victims, military installations, and symposiums and conferences related to PTSD, autism and AAT awareness.