UNIONDALE — At Kellenberg Memorial High School in Uniondale, Long Island, students don’t have to read the Old Testament to understand the meaning of Noah’s Ark.
That’s because the Catholic school is also an animal sanctuary where dogs and peacocks roam freely around the campus, and where birds have been known to dance in their cages to the delight of visitors.
The high school, nicknamed the Firebirds, is home to dogs, peacocks, fish, turtles, and several birds, including parrots and macaws.
And in addition to the pooches that live at the school, teachers have been known to bring their doggies with them to work.
“So, sometimes we have about eight dogs on the campus,” Brother Kevin Hoagland, the school’s principal, told Currents News.
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The presence of animals is nothing new for Kellenberg. The school has been home to exotic pets for about 30 years. The tradition began when the school, eager to live up to its nickname, purchased two peacocks, a male and female, to care for. And things grew from there as more animals came to live on campus.
Some of the animals were purchased, while others were donated to the school by elderly owners who could no longer care for them.
“Well, the peacocks are pretty much self-sufficient,” Kevin Wells-Hardy, supervisor of grounds and landscape, said, describing how he takes care of the animals. “We just have to make sure they stay put and don’t fly out.”
The menagerie of animals, particularly dogs, is an instant stress reducer for nervous students at Kellenberg, which has grades six through 12 and an enrollment of 2,500.
“We say they’re guard dogs. They guard against anxiety, fear, and sadness,” Brother Hoagland said. “So, if you’re having a bad day, come visit the dogs. If you’re anxious, they’re a great stress release.”
Junior Abigail Hassett has visited the dogs several times.
“I know that there’s some days where I have physics right before lunch. And if I have a rough day in physics class, I would just … sit down with one of the dogs, and I’ll pet him for a couple minutes before lunch,” she said. “And it just makes my day a little bit better.”
Bri Green, a junior, said the animal sanctuary was one of the reasons she enrolled at Kellenberg.
“I walked in, and I knew immediately that I would go here,” she said. “This is my sixth year here, and I do not regret my decision at all. It’s just so special.”
Having animals around the building is fun for the students and faculty. Still, it also serves an important purpose, said Brother Hoagland, who explained that students learn to care for God’s creation — a tenet of Catholic teaching.
Pointing to Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical Laudato sí, in which the late pontiff urged Catholics to respect the environment, Brother Hoagland said Kellenberg teaches its students to have respect for nature and all creatures.
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“I think Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment and creation fits very much into our philosophy that we have a respect for God’s creation. But also, we have a responsibility to care for God’s creation,” he explained.
“So, we feel very engaged in that work of taking care of God’s creation and loving God’s creation,” Brother Hoagland added.
