NI pupil's hike funds new therapy dog for school

Caleb White hiked two mountains to raise funds for a therapy dog

A pupil from Harberton Special School in Belfast hiked two mountains in one day to raise money for a new mental health support dog for his school.

Caleb White, 16, hiked Divis and Black Mountain in 2022 and was able to raise £7,000, which paid for the new mental health support dog.

Peggy the labradoodle is the second support dog at Harberton, alongside Millie.

Caleb has a number of complex special needs, including autism, ADHD and OCD.

"I was exhausted," he told BBC News NI.

"It was hard work, but I got two McFlurrys for doing it."

Asked about what the new dog means to him, Caleb said: "Peggy helps me and my friends. Whenever we are sad, she makes us smile."

Peggy arrived at the school in January

The principal of Harberton, James Curran, said the support dogs "bring great joy" to the pupils.

"It used to be when I walked down the corridor, the children were excited to see me coming. Now they're looking to see the dogs," he said.

"The first question I get asked every morning is: 'Where's Millie, where's Peggy?'

"So the children seek them out at all times and want to know they're nearby."

School principal James Curran says the therapy dogs bring great joy to pupils

Mr Curran also explained how the dogs help the children with things like their communication.

"When they're interacting with adults, there's almost an expectation that there will be communication," he said.

"But with dogs there is no expectation."

'Giving something back'

Caleb's mother Alma said the family "really wanted to give something back" to Harberton.

"School has just changed Caleb's life, the staff are incredible, the children are absolutely amazing," she said.

"We were just trying to think of a way we could really give something back."

Alma said she was really proud of her son, explaining: "Caleb has very complex needs, you could never know at any time how he'll feel doing this.

"But I was just proud that he pushed himself, and achieved something that was so big."

• Therapy dogs making a difference in special schools

• The therapy dog making friends at school

Alma, who also works as a classroom assistant at Harberton, recalled a time when Peggy helped a child "who had never spoken".

"We brought Peggy in to meet him, and he said: 'Hello'. And that was just a real moment for the school," she explained.

Both Millie and Peggy are provided to the school by Assistance Dogs NI.

Mr Curran praised Assistance Dogs NI for providing dogs that are "so well trained to such a high level" giving him reassurance that they could work within the school environment.