UBC Okanagan’s B.A.R.K (Building Academic Retention through K9s) program was recently welcomed by students at Mount Boucherie Secondary School, Okanagan Mission Secondary, and Rutland Senior Secondary Schools as part of schools’ mental health initiatives. B.A.R.K provided the opportunity for hundreds of students to connect with therapy dogs and build meaningful moments together that focused on emotional and social wellbeing.
At Mount Boucherie Secondary School (MBSS), the school hosted their annual Walk for Mental Health Day on May 5th where students participated in many activities that promoted wellbeing to raise money for Foundry Kelowna. Over $15,000 was raised! During this event, the B.A.R.K team joined students for a wonderful hour-long session that spread high spirits and paw-sitive energy throughout the school. Students eagerly gathered around the therapy dogs in attendance, taking the time to connect with their peers and recharge during the busy day full of activities.
At Okanagan Mission Secondary School (OKM), B.A.R.K provided a dedicated mental health block for the Grade 9 students, held in the school’s open-air atrium. The weather was overcast yet pleasantly warm, creating an ideal calm and welcoming environment for students and therapy dogs alike. The event hosted seven dedicated handlers and their certified therapy dogs. The students rotated through the atrium in their class groups, often gravitating towards dogs they felt connected to. Other students enthusiastically attempted to greet every dog before their session ended. The joyful impact of the visit was clear when many students returned during their lunch break for another opportunity to visit the dogs and their handlers.
Nearer the end of June, B.A.R.K. also visited Rutland Senior Secondary (RSS) for their Youth For Change event. This event saw middle and secondary school students attending from across the community – this created a lively and welcoming atmosphere, bringing students together to learn, connect, and support awareness for youth experiencing homelessness. Many students eagerly approached the dogs, sharing smiles, gentle pets, and meaningful moments of connection. The therapy dog visits offered a calming break from the excitement of the event, helping reduce stress, build community, and support student wellbeing. The positive energy was clear as students returned to visit the dogs and engage with the handlers throughout the day.
The visits at all three schools sparked meaningful conversations between the handlers and the students. They spoke passionately about their future aspirations, one student expressing interest in becoming a dog trainer specializing in service animals, while another spoke about potentially pursuing psychology at UBCO and volunteering with B.A.R.K. in the future. These sessions are similar to the weekly BARK2GO offered at the university, where students are spending smaller, more condensed time with the dogs which provide short term stress relief and provide opportunities for emotional connection throughout the school day. At the high schools, the therapy dogs also encouraged conversation between teens and their peers they had not originally entered the space with, building natural connections.
The staff at both schools, their student volunteers, and the B.A.R.K team worked together to ensure the sessions remained safe, welcoming, and accessible to everyone. Across both sessions the B.A.R.K program demonstrated how therapy dogs can create meaningful connections by bringing students together and providing important mental health support.