Students to get puppy therapy



Contact: Rene Abadie
Date: April 27, 2012

 

     HAMMOND – Final exams – they represent one of the most stressing periods of a college student's life.

     This year, students at Southeastern Louisiana University are being invited to shake off that stress and hug it out with a furry friend. On Thursday (May 3) the university's Sims Memorial Library will team up with the St. Tammany Humane Society to bring in some puppies and dogs to help students who are dealing with stress before finals.

     "We see a lot of stressed-out students here," said Beth West, distance learning librarian. "The library is the epicenter of student studying on campus, and we wanted to provide them with a little break - a chance to get rid of some of their stress."

     The Humane Society will be providing five dogs for students to play with, cuddle or just hold under the breezeway of the library from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Students are encouraged to interact with the animals as part of a popular stress relief method called dog therapy. All of the dogs are eligible for adoption.

     "Libraries and schools are bringing in dogs that are trained as pet therapists," said West. "We decided to take a slightly different route by bringing in rescued animals. It's a way for the animals to get some love while helping students shed some stress."

     The St. Tammany Humane Society will have the dogs in the breezeway from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will also be distributing information on animal adoption, internships and volunteer opportunities for interested students.

 

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