Therapy Dog Brings Comfort & Connection to Animal Science Skills Incubator Class

Students in the Middle School Animal Science 101 Skills Incubator class recently had a special and heartwarming visit from a local veterinarian, Dr. Deidre Galbo and her therapy dog, Neon. The visit wasn’t just about learning how to care for animals — it was a lesson in compassion, emotional support, and the special connection humans share with their pets. Later in the semester, the students will help Dr. Galbo in her animal sanctuary.

When Dr. Galbo entered the classroom, she was greeted with eager smiles as Neon, her calm and friendly black Labrador, walked around the room, allowing students to pet him. His gentle nature immediately brought a sense of peace to the room, showing exactly why therapy dogs are so special.

As she spoke, Dr. Galbo explained that every pet provides some level of emotional support to their owners. “Really, any pet that’s at home has self-emotional support,” she said. “Every dog is an emotional support dog in their own way. That’s why we have pets — they give us so much.”

While some dogs are trained and certified for emotional support or service, therapy dogs are unique because they don’t perform specific tasks. Instead, they bring comfort and companionship to many people at once. Neon, for example, visits schools, nursing homes, hospitals, and even the Connecticut Medical Examiner’s Office, where he provides comfort to professionals who deal with difficult and emotional situations every day.

Therapy dogs are trained to stay calm, friendly, and patient in a variety of environments. They often visit large groups of people — sometimes hundreds in a single day — offering emotional relief and support through their presence.

Dr. Galbo explained how Neon’s visits to universities are especially helpful during stressful times like midterm and final exams. “One day at Central Connecticut State University, he met 165 people,” she said. “Afterward, he looked at me like, ‘Mom, I’m ready to go home.’ It’s emotionally tiring for him too, because he gives so much of himself to others.”

These visits can make a huge difference in people’s mental health and well-being. Whether it’s comforting a hospital patient, bringing joy to nursing home residents, or calming college students before exams, therapy dogs play an important role in promoting emotional balance and happiness.Students also learned that not every dog is suited to be a therapy dog. The most important quality is temperament — being calm, non-reactive, and comfortable around all kinds of people. “If a dog gets nervous around loud noises, new people, or sudden movements, it’s probably not a good fit for therapy work,” she explained.

Training starts with basic obedience — commands like sit, stay, down, and come — and advances to more complex challenges.

Therapy dogs must be able to:

• Walk past food without getting distracted (even favorite treats!). Not easy for Neon

• Stay calm around wheelchairs, walkers, and crutches.

• Tolerate being touched gently by strangers in different ways.

• Ignore other dogs when working.

Neon even has to pass a therapy dog certification test every two years to prove he’s still calm, healthy, and well-behaved. “It’s actually pretty intense,” she admitted. “I get nervous every time we take the test — but Neon always passes with flying colors.” The only questions that were incorrect were Dr. Galbo’s own she said.

When he’s not working, Neon lives a happy, playful life at home. He loves lounging on the couch, playing fetch (his favorite game — or as his handler calls it, B-A-L-L). Dr. Galbo had to spell out the word for fear that saying the word “ball” would distract Newon when he heard it. He also spends time with his “two-legged brothers,” including one who is a senior at KO.At home, he’s just a regular family dog — goofy, loving, and loyal. But when he puts on his therapy vest, he knows it’s time to focus and help others.

She encouraged students interested in working with therapy dogs someday to start learning about dog behavior and training now. Watching videos, reading about clicker training (a method that rewards good behavior with a “click” sound), and observing how dogs communicate are great ways to start. She also reminded students that therapy dogs eventually retire — just like people. “They work hard giving love and comfort to others, but there comes a time when they deserve to rest and enjoy just being pets,” she said.

The visit to the Animal Science Skills Incubator class wasn’t just about therapy dogs — it was about understanding the emotional connection between humans and animals. Students learned that animals, especially dogs, give unconditional love and emotional support that can help people through life’s most difficult moments.

As she summed up: “All pets are fabulous. They connect to us dearly, and we never want them to leave Earth. Because we do this together, our bond is even tighter. I can’t imagine life without Neon.” The experience left everyone in the class with a new appreciation for the role animals play in promoting emotional health — both in everyday life and in professional therapy settings. For many students, it was a memorable reminder that sometimes, the best kind of comfort doesn’t come from words — it comes from a wagging tail.