Hand In Paw brings 4-legged fun to Hall-Kent

For more than a decade, Hand In Paw has donated its time to provide pet therapy sessions for Hall-Kent Elementary School students. When Stevie, a HIP Sheltie, enters the classroom each week, the students’ faces light up, and they can’t wait to give him a treat or watch him do a special trick.

HIP is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Birmingham and has 150 professionally trained volunteers to help improve human health and well-being through animal-assisted therapy. 

Homewood City Schools speech language pathologist Judy Cutchen accompanies Stevie and Georgie Moseley, Stevie’s handler, into the classrooms to help the students not only have fun but also to learn through Stevie. Together, Stevie and the students read books, work on vocabulary words and sing songs. Stevie ends their sessions with special tricks and games for the students.

“Hand In Paw has had a wonderful impact on our students in providing them motivation to do their best. It is a great learning environment,” Cutchen said.  

– Submitted by Homewood City Schools.