Any form of ENJOYABLE DISTRACTION from the horror of their experience can only be a positive move.

The reason that I asked this question is because of the response that I recieved to my opinion on face book. I am opposed to having the dogs there because it is not good to pamper people who have experienced a tragedy of this degree. These students need to know that bad things happen to good people and that they should be aware of their surrondings. Life for them will go on so get on with it. The more you keep treating them like damaged goods the longer it will take for them to grow.

Kids will often respond to an animal when other humans can't get through to them.

They're trained dogs and I can't see any harm

Right, absolutely benign but void real compassion. Except when some female gets mugged nearby and blows her safety/help whistle when the therapy and all dogs around town home in the see whats happening.

Animals are great, we have a project here run by the young diggers association. Dogs for diggers. They train companion dogs for ex servicement with PTSD. I have found a few dogs for them, and know quite a few of the dogs, I am not as good with people. Lots of people I know visit aged care homes with their dogs and we have projects at schools for kids with autism where we can take our own dogs in to let the kids be with them. Very smart move in Florida.

I think that it's great that they brought the dogs in. Animals can definitely help to relieve stress and I cannot imagine how the students and staff felt when walking back into that place.

Yes!

They definitely help. Although if I were one of them I'd want my own therapy dog.

I'd need more information. In what way are they being used? Are students allowed to each bring their own? Are they allowed in classrooms? Walk them? I dunno it seems like a lot of little issues to work out. So far it sounds nice in theory but not really feasible