At our TRU Kamloops campus you may have seen the cute and fuzzy friends that come every Thursday from 10am- 2pm. These dogs and volunteers are from the local St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Programme, and we have to say, happen to be some of the most beloved animals in town! The TRU Wellness Centre has been lucky enough to partner with this amazing program for the past 2 years. Joy and happiness is often radiated from students, faculty, and staff during their weekly visits; these animals and volunteers have become such a positive part of campus life.
The TRU therapy dogs have actually been recognized as far away as Toronto if you can believe it! One of our volunteers was attending a conference there last year and a participant came up to her and asked if her dog was ‘TRU’s Bella?’ When our surprised volunteer responded and said, “well yes, how do you know her?” the woman said that her niece is a TRU student and has texted her to tell her all about the therapy dogs and how they are her favorite thing about TRU! Whoo hoo!
The therapy dogs are here weekly from the beginning of the semester right through until exam period. It is common for students to experience anxiety and/or stress throughout the semester, especially during exam period. University can be a high–pressure environment so we find that many students come to visit the dogs on their breaks to help relieve their stress and boost their mood. This is not a new phenomenon as dog therapy is often practiced in many healthcare settings to reduce the blood pressure and heart rate of patients, and is also shown to relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety.
The dog’s main station at TRU is in the busiest place on campus which is known to be Student Street in the Old Main Building. Having no barriers for interaction between the students and staff allows for more people to be aware that these dogs are there for anyone and everyone who just needs a cuddle. Many students come to Kamloops to study at TRU and leave their family, friends, and pets back home for quite some time. The therapy dogs help bring joy, stress relief, and comfort to many of the students who have travelled from miles away. Anecdotally, this program has received nothing but great feedback, therefore, the Wellness Centre actually plans on doing a more formalized evaluation of the program, as we are curious to learn more about if/how this program has positively impacted students and employees.
Help us celebrate our 2nd anniversary of this amazing program by visiting us at Student Street this Thursday, February 12 from 9:30am – 2:30pm. This is a part of our Random Acts of Kindness Week, so we will also be hosting a mini-spa, a free card making station, an ‘Acts of Kindness Tree’, and of course come and visit one of our therapy dogs and volunteers!
Sources:
http://www.therapydogcertification.com/5-health-benefits-of-therapy-dogs/
