Announcements

For the fifth year in a row, Green Chimneys has received a grant from the Petco Foundation’s Helping Heroes in-store fundraising campaign in partnership with Merrick Pet Care. This year’s grant of $2,500 recognizes the value of Green Chimneys’ engaging Dog Interaction Program and enables us to keep it strong.
Piloted in 2014, the Dog Interaction Program has become a popular – and permanent – addition to Green Chimneys’ animal-assisted therapy program. Under a professional trainer’s supervision, our students help socialize shelter dogs, thus, improving their chances for adoption. During their 6-week training session, the canine “students” live on campus 24/7 and have frequent contact with our children and staff. You can see them visiting classrooms, participating in therapy sessions, enjoying time with teens at our Arbor House shelter and even “starring” in off-campus events including community health & wellness fairs.
The adopting families, students and Green Chimneys staff have all benefited. We’re quite certain, based on their frisky and friendly behavior, the dogs have benefited as well.
This new funding enables us to not only maintain our expanded program also allows us to concentrate on adding new opportunities for more therapeutic interaction between children and dogs. To date, we’ve had 189 canine “graduates” and nearly all of them have found permanent loving homes. We are so grateful to the Petco Foundation for their support of this innovative program.
Gandalf is a 15-year-old Appaloosa gelding from Bethlehem, CT. The Appaloosa is an American horse breed best known for its colorful spotted coat pattern. Gandalf received his magical name from the children of Green Chimneys. A naming contest was held, and students submitted their ideas.