Since 2012 the Kenora Catholic District School Board has been tapping into the health benefits and comfort that dogs offer to students. Petting a dog and interacting with a dog has been shown to reduce blood pressure, improve social skills and increase self-esteem. The interaction also teaches children empathy, compassion and respect for other living creatures.
The board has also partnered with It's a Dog's Life, a local dog fostering network, to bring puppies into schools during EQAO testing for students to play with to calm their fears and anxiety related to the provincial testing. This program has been expanded to include all schools in Kenora, including St. Thomas Aquinas High School.