Students with emotional disturbances are often the first to drop out of school. Having an effective technique to prevent the high drop out rate in any school will be beneficial to educators and administration. The following research study answers the question "How do emotionally disturbed students respond to animals in a classroom stetting?" The case study performed is evidence in favor of animal assisted therapy as a method to retain students that are emotionally disturbed.

1. Animal-assisted therapies
2. Animal roles
3. At risk
4. Education
5. Emotional disturbance
6. Mammals
7. Pets and companion animals
8. retention
9. Schools
10. students
11. teachers
12. Youth-at-risk