By Alexander Novoa and Joseph Rodriguez, September 12, 2023
The Cal Poly Pomona University Library hosted a welcome-back week featuring a therapy dogs event open to all CPP students, faculty and staff from Aug. 29 to Sept. 8.
Starting a new semester can be an overwhelming experience for students as they face academic pressures, social adjustments and personal growth. The library invited therapy dogs and their handlers onto campus to promote well-being and community during this time of adjustment.
Students stopped by the Bronco Community Zone Thursday, Aug. 31 on the second floor of the library to meet Apollo, a calm and relaxed seven-year-old border collie who has been a therapy animal since 2017.
Apollo’s handler, Diana Hamo from Pet Partners, mentioned border collies are typically not therapy dogs because they are high-energy working dogs.
“Apollo is not a typical border collie,” said Hamo. “He follows the rules and is calm and lovable. He was trained and registered before the pandemic. He didn’t do therapy work for almost three years; now we’re back in it, and he loves it.”
Apollo had a unique way of making students at the event happy. He wandered around the crowd, wagged his tail and greeted everyone who walked in, bringing smiles to their faces. According to his dog card, Apollo is highly attuned to emotions and tries to connect with people through eye contact.
Aerospace engineering student Carter Bohn expressed how therapy dogs such as Apollo bring comfort to incoming freshmen who are still adapting to the college experience.
“Well, I’d say it allows them to just have a little fluff ball that they can pet at any moment, and it just takes them out of the overall worries and struggles of college,” said Bohn. “It just takes them out of that mindset to get them living in the moment, which frankly is a good moment with the dog.”
The library also welcomed Nora Tuesday, Sept. 5. She is a gentle and friendly two-year-old labrador retriever who has been a therapy dog for over a year.
Nora’s handler, Debby McNichols, mentioned all dogs in the Pet Partners program must be at least one years old, up-to-date on their vaccines. and have no history of aggression toward people or pets. must be responsive to their owners’ directions and live with them for at least six months to establish a strong bond. Before becoming therapy dogs, they must also pass a certification test. This test typically evaluates the dog’s behavior, obedience and ability to interact calmly with people.
“Every dog in the program gets evaluated,” said McNichols. “They must stay physically fit and get everything signed off. Nora and I register as a team and get evaluated together. She enjoys human interaction and loves being around people to make them happy.”
August Mehner, a second-year biology student, experienced that affection first hand.
“It always brings a smile to my face, and the therapy dogs remind me of my own dogs at home,” said Mehner. “So it’s nice to be able to pet them, and it just relieves stress and brings a lot of happiness.”
With mental health being a topic of concern for young people, colleges nationwide are looking to canines to make sure to put their students’ well-being first. Introducing therapy dogs has shown to be an effective way of making new and ongoing students here on campus feel at ease. The dogs help lessen stress and anxiety that students feel when adjusting to the rigorous schedule college has to offer. They also give a sense of being back home as many students have their own pets that they are not able to see often.
According to the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, an international therapy dog organization, “Research has shown that the presence of a beloved pet or therapy animal can help a person control daily anxiety, regulate emotional arousals, and improve mood.” The organization also mentions that therapy dogs have the ability to remain attentive and keep intense emotions stable.
Mehner suggested frequent use of therapy dogs can be beneficial in other parts of the semester.
“I think obviously midterms and finals week, like when they have them are really important, but even just once a month I think would benefit students,” said Mehner.
They must be responsive to their owners’ directions and live with them for at least six months to establish a strong bond as well as pass a certification test that evaluates the dog’s behavior.
“Every dog in the program gets evaluated,” said McNichols. “They must stay physically fit and get everything signed off. Nora and I register as a team and get evaluated together. She enjoys human interaction and loves being around people to make them happy.”
August Mehner, a biology student, experienced that affection first hand.
“It always brings a smile to my face, and the therapy dogs remind me of my own dogs at home,” said Mehner. “So it’s nice to be able to pet them, and it just relieves stress and brings a lot of happiness.”
With mental health being a topic of concern for young people, colleges nationwide are looking to canines to make sure to put their students’ well-being first. The dogs help lessen stress and anxiety students feel when adjusting to the rigorous schedule college has to offer. They also give a sense of being back home as many students have their own pets they are not able to see often.
According to the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, an international therapy dog organization, “Research has shown that the presence of a beloved pet or therapy animal can help a person control daily anxiety, regulate emotional arousals, and improve mood.” The organization also mentions therapy dogs have the ability to remain attentive and keep intense emotions stable.
Mehner suggested frequent use of therapy dogs can be beneficial in other parts of the semester.
“I think obviously midterms and finals week, like when they have them are really important, but even just once a month I think would benefit students,” said Mehner.
Feature images courtesy of Alexander Novoa
