By EMILY GRUNES 2/25/2021
I had 55 minutes to read 10 documents and craft a well thought out essay that responded to a question. I was writing a document based question for my AP US history class from my couch. These tests are extremely daunting in normal times, but this stress is only exacerbated in an at home virtual setting. As I scrambled through the complicated documents and watched as the clock went down to zero, someone other than my teacher or classmates was there to take the test with. My dog. Next to me on the couch, my 11 year old border collie mutt slept. His steady breathing and soft fur was a comfort to get me through the essay. With all of the challenges that come with virtual learning, pets have helped students cope with stress and social isolation.
Emotional support pets are any animals that provide support or comfort to an individual through companionship. Unlike a service animal, emotional support animals do not need to be trained in specific tasks to help their owners. These animals simply provide unconditional love and support to their owners to mitigate mental illness or emotional stress. During online school, all household pets have turned into emotional support animals, classmates and best friends.
With all the difficulties of school during the pandemic it has given students a unique opportunity to have their own emotional support animal during classes and exams. Pets have provided students with companionship while isolated at home.
Jamie Pollak recently adopted a little black bunny named Diesel. he sits in Jamie’s lap during zoom classes, watches Netflix and takes naps with her. Diesel’s has become a well known zoom square among all of Jamie’s teachers and students. Jamie says that ‘Diesels cuddles and licks help her through these difficult times”.
Lucia Franceschini got Tic Tac the cockatiel when the bird was 3 months old as an emotional support animal. Tic Tac is always cheerful and can say, baby, pretty bird and wolf whistle. Lucia says that Tic Tac “is nice company to have while in a fully remote setting, especially because she always gives me something to do and keeps me a foot in the real world where everything else is virtual.” Tic Tac flies around Lucia’s room during a remote school day and always comes to her for cuddles during class. She “provides me with a bit of distraction from class, in a good way of course”, Lucia says.
From bunnies to birds, to cats and dogs, these animals have helped students succeed emotionally and academically during at home learning.