November can be a stressful time for all students. The weather starts getting colder, major holidays and finals are right around the corner, not to mention the stress of the pandemic.
In order to combat some of the stress, Madison College student health educators hosted a pet therapy event featuring Dogs on Call. The program is a therapy animal organization.
“I think it’s just important. It gives students a little bit of a break, a little bit of time to relax and kind of do something different that’s not in the ordinary and just, like, help them destress before all these big events that are coming up,” said Sam Johnson, peer health educator.
Students were met with the dogs as they walked through the main Truax doors.
Research shows that pets positively affect mental health in many ways. The Human Animal Bond Research Institute found that therapy dogs reduce stress in college students. When someone just pets a dog, blood pressure goes down, heart rate slows, breathing becomes regular and muscles relax, according to research done by psychologist Alan Beck and psychiatrist Aaron Katcher.
Similar events have been hosted in the past and are always successful. Although nothing is currently planned, it is likely there will be a similar event during the spring semester.