Coxsackie-Athens gets its first animal-assisted intervention team

COXSACKIE―Sometimes the best fix for a ruff day at school is a wet nose and the reassuring wag of a tail.

The Coxsackie-Athens Central School District recently approved its first animal-assisted intervention team, consisting of School Psychologist Leslie Reinisch and Bruno, her certified partner dog.

“Bruno is friendly, easy-going, and remarkably steady, even in loud, chaotic, or overstimulating environments,” explained Tommy Esposito, Coxsackie-Athens communications specialist.

“That calm isn't accidental — it's the result of training and preparation that makes him reliable in real school settings, not just quiet ones,” he said. “Students who might not respond to a worksheet or a conversation often respond to Bruno—and that response becomes the opening adults need to build trust, reinforce skills, and deepen engagement.”

Reinisch also chairs the district’s Committee on Preschool Special Education and the Committee on Special Education, understanding student needs across academic, social-emotional, behavioral, and special education settings.

“It would be easy to picture this as ‘someone brings their dog to school.’ It's something different, and more deliberate than that,” Esposito noted. “Animal-Assisted Intervention pairs a Certified Animal-Assisted Intervention Specialist (C-AAIS) with a professionally trained dog to function as a single team.”

Therapy dogs in educational settings have gained increased traction in recent years and can be found in thousands of schools across the country.

“This program isn't a replacement for the academic, social-emotional, and behavioral supports already in place across our district―it's a complement to them,” Esposito explained. “It gives our team another tool, used thoughtfully and matched to the student, the situation, and the goals already set by school teams.”

“Walk into a classroom on a hard day, a student who won't make eye contact, a transition that's about to fall apart, a kid who's shut down and done talking and you'll see quickly why some of the most effective support doesn't start with words at all,” he said. “Sometimes it starts with four paws and a wagging tail.”

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Dan Kalbfliesh said the district is excited about the new initiative.

"This isn't a traditional therapy dog visiting once a month to say hello—this is a certified clinical specialist and a trained dog working as an intervention team, built into the fabric of how we support kids every day,” said Kalbfliesh.

“That's what makes this program different, and that's what makes it powerful,” he added.