Easing anxieties is even more important in the wake of recent tragic events.

WEST FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) – Imagine this.

You’re trying to do silent reading in your elementary school classroom, but something’s bothering you.

Maybe you slept poorly or just had an argument with your best friend.

Then you look up – and you see Bella.

“She loves to work. She loves to be here. She loves people,” said Bella’s handler, student resource officer Todd Pearson.

The yellow lab mix has been partnered with Pearson since 2022.

The tandem goes all throughout the district, but their home base is here at Westside Elementary, where Principal Chris Kalsow has seen firsthand the benefit of Bella’s presence.

“A lot of the kids just come in and are more joyful, being able to see her and pet her in the morning

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