Therapy dogs offer comfort and joy

Dogs on Call volunteers provide registered and insured therapy dog visits across Whidbey.

By Marina Blatt • February 6, 2026 1:30 am

It was a ruff day to be absent – therapy dogs were at school.

Pat Lamont, the coordinator for Dogs on Call on Whidbey Island, and Kris O’Connor visited three classes at Olympic View Elementary School in Oak Harbor on Jan. 21 with their therapy dogs.

Dogs on Call volunteers provide registered and insured therapy dog visits, rotating through multiple locations across the island, including schools, Home Place Special Care, WhidbeyHealth Medical Center and more. Since expanding to more locations in 2025, the organization of six handlers and nine dog volunteers is currently seeking additional volunteer teams to help fill its busy schedule.

At Olympic View Elementary, which serves kindergarten through fourth grade students, therapy dogs provide an important regular source of comfort for children who benefit from a calming presence about once a month, according to the school Counselor Stacy Mahoney.

Mahoney said the difference in the children after they meet the dogs is astonishing.

“Some of our nonverbal students are literally shaking in their bodies as they are petting the dogs,” she said. “We also have had the opportunity to work with students that have more profound needs, and they are able to pet the dogs and get so excited.”

The volunteers began visiting Olympic View Elementary last school year, and the school community has grown especially fond of the visits, Mahoney said, appreciating the opportunity for students to interact with and receive devoted love from the friendly pooches. The students receive many benefits from meeting the dogs — from learning to model being calm to socialization skills.

Lamont, owner of three therapy dogs, brought her pooch Rose to the visit.

“We all do it because we love that our dogs can give to more than just us,” Lamont said. “I think it’s important to give what I can back to the community so that it will remain the great place to live.”

The coordinator explained that therapy dogs not only help students relax but also teach children how to appropriately greet and interact with dogs in public. This exposure helps some students overcome their fear of dogs, she added.

Kris O’Connor, who has volunteered with Dogs on Call for a year, attended the visit with her dog Addy. After O’Connor retired, she chose to dedicate her time to volunteering with her dog. She noted that the volunteers often return home with thoughtful gifts from students, like the drawings of appreciation that they received on Jan. 21.

“I just love seeing the expression on their faces and seeing how happy they are. And it’s just a wonderful, wonderful feeling,” she said.

Additionally, in memory care settings, some patients remember Addy’s name even when they struggle to recall other humans, an experience O’Connor described as especially rewarding.

All dog breeds with the right temperment may be trained to become a therapy dog. To get involved, contact Lamont via patlamont1949@gmail.com or at 360-914-0764.