Therapy Dogs Help Students De-Stress
Prince George, B.C. – It’s final exam time at UNBC and what better way to deal with the stresses of the season than with a little doggy therapy?
Prince George based company Pawsitive Horizons was on campus yesterday afternoon with their dogs Grimmus and Freddie for about an hour meet and greet to help students cope.
Grimmus
“Because the students are studying so hard, they’re stress levels can go up,” says co-owner Kirby MacInnes. “So, we were contacted by the student life coordinator there and were asked to come in and provide our services for all the students as they’re feeling stressed during this preparatory time for exams.”
She says the services include a chance to pet the dogs, show them a couple of tricks and basically have a chance to have some fun to get their minds off things.
What’s more, MacInnes says it works.
“It does. We know that being around animals can help do things like lower heart rate, lower anxiety, things of that nature,” she says. “It not only takes people into a different space but allows them to have a positive interaction which also gives them time to refocus their brains a bit.”
She says Pawsitive Horizons has several clients in town, from RCMP Victim Services, to BC Corrections and the Prince George School District.
However, the trip to UNBC this week was their first.
“We’re doing this voluntarily for the community. The community has been really good to us and we like taking opportunities to give back whenever we can. This is a great fun way to do it.”
Comments
How will the students ever survive in the real world without a therapy dog? Therapy dogs are a fantastic service for victims of crime and other real stresses. Here’s a hint you little buttercups, University is supposed to be hard.
My first reaction to reading this article was “you have got to be kidding Me” I agree with Brother Gecko, University is to prepare you for the real world and is stressful, so are most jobs out there. Learn to cope! I can’t believe the generation that is following us.
Will these kids enter the real world with therapy dogs ? Lol
Have our youth become this soft?
I pity us in the future
Hmmmm. I recall that during exams, my alcohol consumption skyrocketed. Dogs vs alcohol? I don’t see the problem here. Yes, universities are definitely coddling students these days, and no, I don’t think it’s a good thing. But de-stressing during exams isn’t a new or outrageous concept.
De-stressing, sure (not with alcohol of course!) go for a run, walk, take some time, listen to Music. and don’t leave things for the last minute like papers, and to catch up labs etc…. There are ways to do it.
When I was in school we had to walk 10km, uphill both ways, in 4′ of snow, at -30, in our underwear to get to our therapy dogs.
You had underwear? Luxury!
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