FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — Students visiting the library at Frankfort’s Peaks Mill Elementary are greeted by one of their favorite staff members, Quincey.
The 8-year-old Lab-Aussie mix serves an important service to the school’s population.
“He’s kind of like the mascot of the school. Someone said he was the king,” said librarian Debbie Gossage.
Quincey began coming to Peaks Mill six years ago. he rides to and from school with Gossage, He has his own ID badge and even gets his picture in the yearbook.
He’s a cute face in the library, but he is also a professional certified and insured therapy dog. He is there to help reduce stress and anxiety in students and allow them to read aloud in a judgment-free environment.
“I can just pet him, and if I feel sad, I can just come over here and read to him,” said one student.
Gossage said that it’s not just the kids who love having Quincy around, but the staff gets a boost too.
“They’ll come in. I’ll say, ‘Can I help you?’ and they say, ‘Nope, I just need a little loving from Quincey,'” said Gossage.
Quincey provides support and a sense of calm that only man’s best friend can.
“He’s gonna love them no matter what. Whether they make mistakes, whether they miss a word or they don’t know how to read, he doesn’t care,” she said.
If you’d like to learn more about Quincey, you can follow him onInstagram! His handle is @quinceygossage.
