On Wednesday, February 25, the women of the Beren Campus welcomed four adorable first-time visitors to the back lounge of the 36th Street dorm: therapy dogs. The event which was sponsored by the YU Counseling Center and YU Active Minds aimed to provide students with stress relief prior to the onset of the midterm examinations period.
Beginning at club hour, the highly anticipated event was held for two hours, and throngs of students poured into the lounge in order to play with the highly trained dogs from the Intermountain Therapy Animals organization.
It was rumored that the visit of therapy dogs had been long pushed by eager students. However, upon asking Dr. Brielle Adler and Dr. Yael Muskat of the YU Counseling Center, they responded that the event was planned from the beginning of the year. At the start of every year, the Counseling Center organizes their yearly calendar of student events that intend to “promote positive mental health and stress reduction.”
So, what makes these dogs special?
The therapy dogs are trained to be especially attentive with their owners, interact with large groups of people, and are also trained specifically to be unfazed in the presence of other animals in close proximity. While these dogs are usually of a calmer demeanor, for some of the dogs, this does not detract from their sociable and loving personalities.
The dogs were each accompanied by their respective owners who were eager to speak to students about the accomplishments and tasks performed by their therapy dogs.
Roz, the owner of the adorable Willy (named according to the acronym for “where life leads you”), a well-groomed shih tzu, said that although playing with college students is Willy’s favorite activity, Willy also spends his time helping many groups of people. Willie, who also loves children, works at a school for students across the autistic spectrum and is a reading dog. A reading dog, she explained is a dog that sits with children who are struggling to read and acts as a listening ear, sometimes putting his paw on the page indicating that he is following along.
April, a very loving toy poodle, did not shy away from licking and playing with all the students whom she encountered. Beth, April’s owner, said that April is always busy helping people in need. Aside from visiting college campuses, April goes to various cancer centers, nursing homes, and a prep school where she acts as a reading dog for students whom English is their second language.
Aside from the calming effects of time spent with the animals, both Dr. Muskat and Dr. Adler were pleasantly surprised to see that greatest outcome of the event: bonding between different students. As we walked around the room, it was clear that different students from different years, who might not have opportunity to get to know each other on a regular school day, were now sitting around talking to one another while interacting with the dogs.
The success of the event is evident from the reactions of its attendees.
Carly Friedman (‘16) exclaimed, “This is the best event that I have yet to attend at Stern College!”
Despite having two dogs of her own at home, Adira Reback (‘17). was overjoyed by the event because she felt like it filled the void of missing her dogs from home. However, she also noted that the students were “acting like they have never seen a dog before,” and concluded that the students who are acting roughly with the dogs should remember that the dogs are indeed “not puppets.”
When asked how she felt after playing with the dogs after the event, one student re-sponded, simply, “happy.”
To the YU Counseling Center and YU Active Minds: mission accomplished.