A Pine Valley Elementary School student is pictured reading to a therapy dog visiting the school as part of a humane education session in partnership with the Chautauqua County Humane Society.

Elementary school classrooms at Pine Valley Central School District participated in humane education lessons in collaboration with the Chautauqua County Humane Society recently.

Humane Education is an outreach program from the Humane Society designed to engage students while teaching the importance of proper care and respect for animals.

During a recent lesson, students learned how to approach and interact safely and respectfully with a dog. They put their new skills into practice with Dottie and Tyler, certified therapy dogs who visited with their trained handlers, helping to bring the lesson to life. Students demonstrated thoughtful behavior, kindness, and compassion as they applied the knowledge they had learned.

In addition to learning about animal care, students also had the opportunity to spend time reading to a dog. This calm, supportive environment allows students to practice and increase confidence and comfort in reading.

The Humane Society offers a variety of humane education opportunities. For more information, email asublett@chqhumane.org.