This Delaware elementary school teacher brought foster puppies to class. It went viral on TikTok.

A Delaware first-grade teacher went viral over the summer for bringing puppies to class and incorporating them into her lesson plans. Following the program’s success, the puppies are back this year.

When schools pivoted to remote learning in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, longtime elementary teacher Brooke Hughes did the same as many: she started fostering puppies. Sparked by lockdowns and a sudden surge in free time spent, animal rescue organizations nationwide reported surges in pet fostering and adoption interest.

Quickly, screentime with Hughes’ adorable foster puppies became an incentive for her first-grade students to pay attention. But once they returned to the traditional classroom setting, her puppy fever continued.

» READ MORE: How to adopt a cat or dog in Philadelphia: fees, shelters, and fostering

“I could not stop thinking about the social, emotional, and academic benefits puppies could bring to our school,” she told The Inquirer.

Last school year, in tandem with Rags 2 Riches Animal Rescue, she launched “Foster Tales Puppy Therapy.” As part of the pilot program, Hughes brought the foster puppies to Hanby Elementary School in Wilmington, Del., and let her students care for, read to, and snuggle with them.

“They’re perfect reading buddies. Every student in my class increased their reading fluency and their confidence soared once they started reading to the puppies. Even the most hesitant readers could not wait to pick up a book and read to a curled-up puppy,” Hughes said.

Hughes said the puppies made students want to attend class more, taught them to be gentle, and served as non-judgmental reading partners. The pups were also used by the school’s counselor for small social groups and individual sessions with students. And the puppies gained a loving environment and socialization while awaiting adoption.

By the end of the school year, Hughes said the program helped adopt out 18 puppies, two of which went to students’ families. Seven staff members became fosters or adopted from Rags 2 Riches, which is based out of Garnet Valley.

This school year, the puppy program has returned and Hughes has hopes it will expand.

She said several parents requested that their first graders be enrolled in her class because of the opportunities to learn responsibility and cope with anxieties.

The goal is to expand the program to additional grade levels, classrooms, and school-wide events. Eventually, Hughes would like to see the program across Brandywine Schools.

Each day, Hughes brings up to three puppies from Rags 2 Riches to class.

They stay in a large playpen area housed inside her classroom. The playpen, potty pads, toys, and portable crates, are funded through a crowdfunding campaign that brought in $1,700 last year, Hughes said.

Students can read or hang out with a puppy in the playpen area. Students must have a signed permission slip to class to participate.

At the end of the day, the puppies go home with Hughes or other school employees.

It’s not just students, teachers, and parents who looked forward to the puppies’ return. On TikTok, Hughes has cultivated a group of more than 16,000 followers who look forward to her regular pupdates.

On the video-sharing platform, Hughes has documented the process of launching her puppy therapy program.

The comments are a mix of educators wanting to replicate the program and others gushing over the general cuteness. It doesn’t hurt that the puppies often don Phillies and Eagles gear.

“The puppies get wonderfully socialized and the kids learn how to act around dogs! Lovely all around!” one comment said. “Every school should have this,” said another.

Hughes shares videos of her young students reading to and caring for the puppies.

“I knew the puppy therapy concept was creative and beneficial but I had no idea the TikTok would take off and reach almost 3 million views,” she said. “But also, who doesn’t love sweet 6-year-olds reading to sleeping puppies?”

Hughes said she was overwhelmed by the positive feedback.

“It made me realize just how many schools and teachers saw the benefit this could bring to their schools and classrooms,” she said.

This year, she plans to help other educators launch their own versions of the puppy program, selling a guide that breaks down the behind-the-scenes logistics, like program proposal language, permission slips, lesson plans, and more.

“Some people may think the puppies would be an added layer of chaos, however, the puppies brought a sense of calm to our classroom,” she said. “Also, they thankfully sleep a lot. The students were taught to never wake a sleeping puppy, so the classroom was often quiet and peaceful.”