Our Dogs Provide Comfort
IN THE AFTERMATH OF A TRAUMATIC EVENT AFFECTING CHILDREN
“After seeing the devastation in our school community firsthand following the tragic loss of a student, I became acutely aware that we as an organization need to be able to do more for our community during these immeasurably traumatic events.”
Lowen is ready to go to work as a Roxy Responder.
Program Description
Roxy™ Responders trauma response team was created in 2021 after a local student was killed in a car accident on prom night. Roxy™ Therapy Dogs was at the school in the days following and through graduation day to provide comfort, calm and compassion to both students and staff as they navigated the mixed emotions of mourning the loss of a peer and looking forward to graduation that week.
Realizing that, unfortunately, this would not be the last traumatic event our community would face, Roxy Therapy Dogs sprang into action and created a formalized trauma response team by providing specialized training for our teams such as Trauma 101, Compassion Fatigue, Recognizing How Trauma Affects Children and even recognizing signs of stress in our dogs. These educational lectures were presented by certified school psychologists, specialists with NOVA (Network of Victims Assistance) as well as a certified canine behaviorist and armed our volunteers with the education they need to provide the highest level of comfort and support during traumatic and uncertain times.
Benefits to the Children
Offering a sense of calm and unconditional love during particularly stressful times associated with a traumatic event in the community.
Location
Roxy Responders are available to organizations that serve children up to college age, such as schools, places of worship, youth centers, etc. in Bucks County or within 20 miles of Doylestown, PA, on an as needed basis and after the traumatic event has occurred.
Director
Andrea Dadigan, Director of Roxy Responders
