Tom Tolen / news@whmi.com

The Brighton Pack of Dogs program under the direction of founder Karen Storey was an unqualified success, and made a difference in the lives of many school children and adults in Southeastern and Mid-Michigan. The canines are formally called social-emotional learning dogs but are typically referred to as therapy dogs.

It had a huge impact on the Oxford School District two years ago after a student opened fire at Oxford High School, killing four classmates and wounding several others. The Brighton Pack of Dogs and their handlers were on hand in the days afterward as the first therapy dogs to arrive at the school to comfort and console students and faculty members who had gone through so much emotional trauma.

The dogs and their human handlers have come to the rescue in several other school districts that have been traumatized by violence or tragedy as well. But their greatest value has been, and continues to be, giving comfort, reassurance and joy to children in the Brighton Area Schools - their home district.

Karen Storey, who started the program and led it from its inception, retired from her position last May and was honored with a special presentation at a Board of Education meeting.

With Storey’s exodus, one might think the program stopped altogether because it hasn’t been in the news lately. But, according to Superintendent Matthew Outlaw, the Pack of Dogs program is alive and well, and is now in the capable hands of Kaitlyn Lipinski and Rochelle Baxter.

Lipinski has been a Brighton Area Schools teacher for three years and currently teaches special education at Hornung Elementary as well as running several Hornung programs. She is also the handler of Susie, a golden doodle and one of the district’s therapy dogs.

The other co-program leader, Rachaelle Baxter, is an English teacher at Brighton High School, and is also a dog handler for the program, her therapy dog being Bronxie Boy, a yellow lab.

The program currently has 14 dogs, with two more in training — more than enough for each school in the district. The Brighton program may be unique in the country in that the district owns all of the dogs and takes care of their expenses — from veterinary care to food and grooming. Although the dogs are assigned to specific schools, when school is out and during the summer, they go home to their individual handlers.

Running such an intricate program takes a lot of money, and the program will have its first annual Pack of Dogs Walk fundraiser in downtown Brighton sometime this spring. The date and times haven’t been finalized yet, but when it happens, people will be able to pledge whatever amount they desire and walk with the dogs. People can also donate directly to the program by going to:

https://sites.google.com/brightonk12.com/baspackofdogs/donate?authuser=0