Principal Dr. Jason Oliver started giving dogs in the drop-off line treats a little over a year ago
BENBROOK, Texas — When parents bring their little ones to school in Benbrook, their babies are so excited, they’re practically scratching and clawing to get out of the car.
Not their actual babies, but their fur babies.
That’s because every morning, Dr. Jason Oliver, principal at Benbrook Middle-High School, gives them a treat.
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“I tell parents all the time, ‘If you want to leave them here, you can come pick them up at 3:45,’” he said. “I’ll take them around the school all day.”
This all started a little over a year ago when Oliver noticed one dog come through the drop-off line.
Later, a second dog was along for the ride. When he saw them again, he had treats.
Now, every day, up to 30 dogs come through the line crying out for treats.
“Penny, Tovi, which is short for Beethoven, Bear, Luna,” Oliver said, rattling off names of his dog-friend regulars.
At this point, it’s hard to tell who loves it more, the people or the dogs.
Oliver buys the treats with his own money. It’s worth it, he said, because feeding dogs feeds into students.
“It’s just about being part of the community and celebrating school,” he said.
Oliver said that by seeing someone go so far for a dog, kids see how much further you’re willing to go for them.
“Everybody matters, and something as simple as a handshake, a smile, just an acknowledgement to kind of brighten their day- it’s just about building community,” he said.
That’s why dogs will always be welcome in cat country.
“We are the bobcats,” Oliver said. “We have had a couple of cats, believe it or not, but the cats usually just stay on the parents’ laps.”
That’s why dogs avoid catnaps because you snooze, you lose.