Western Pennsylvania's trusted news source
Teacher's pet at Fox Chapel Area schools, sort of | TribLIVE.com
Fox Chapel Herald

Teacher's pet at Fox Chapel Area schools, sort of

Gemma Pollice
5089735_web1_lynch1
Gemma Pollice | Tribune-Review
Fox Chapel Area School District Police Officer Dennis Lynch keeps treats handy for the many dogs who drop off and pick up their young owners at O’Hara Elementary School.
5089735_web1_lynch2
Courtesy of the Fox Chapel Area School District
Fox Chapel Area School District Police Officer Dennis Lynch treats dogs that tag along with their owners to school drop-off and pick-up lines at O’Hara Elementary School and at Fox Chapel Area High School.

It all started with a Border Collie named Amber.

Amber relentlessly barked at Fox Chapel School District Police Officer Dennis Lynch every morning during O’Hara Elementary School’s student drop-off time during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In response, Lynch decided to make a friend. He gave her a treat every time she came around.

It ballooned from there.

Dogs of all sizes and breeds have their heads out the window waiting for a treat from the officer during drop-off and pick-up periods at O’Hara Elementary and drop-off at Fox Chapel Area High School.

Some pup parents have even supplied him with boxes of treats to make distributions a little easier.

Lynch helps with events and activities at other school district buildings, but calls O’Hara Elementary home during the day. He was one of the first members of the FCASD police force, starting with the district in October 2018.

Lynch says when Amber comes by now, she’ll glare at him — until he gives her a treat.

And she’ll bark if he doesn’t.

Gemma Pollice is a Tribune-Review copy editor. You can contact Gemma at gpollice@triblive.com.

Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.

Get Ad-Free >

Categories: Fox Chapel Herald | Local
";