Dog therapists relieve student stress

"A New Leash on Life" visits the Bizzell Memorial Library with therapy dogs.  PHOTO BY: Ajinur Setiwaldi

Three certified therapists visited the Bizzell Memorial Library Tuesday morning with a mission to spread love and good cheer to the stressed students preparing for finals. But Katie, Sunny and Jack aren't your typical therapists. They are canines certified by New Leash On Life Inc.

The dogs visited the University of Oklahoma on the invitation of Darin Fox, the director of OU's law library. They have visited the law library before, but this is their first time visiting Bizzell Library, Michelle Traw, a member of New Leash on Life Inc.,  said. 

New Leash on Life Inc is an Oklahoma-based organization that works to change people's lives by developing the special ability of service dogs, therapy dogs and rescued pets, according to organization's website. Volunteers and their certified therapy dogs serve as ambassadors of good cheer -- visiting homes, assisted living centers, hospitals and schools, according to the organization's website.

The idea is to get students' minds of their finals and get them to relax by having fun with our therapy dogs, Traw said. 

The friendly canines provide some stress relief to students stressed about their final exams and missing their own pets, Fox said. The therapy dogs are especially beneficial to law students who spend weeks reading thousands of pages to prepare for their final exams, Fox said. 

Fox said he invited several therapy dogs and their owners to the law library during finals week. 

"It's really intense and stressful," Fox said. "The dogs give them a little stress reduction."

 Michelle Traw and her therapy dog, Jack, were among the three teams present at Bizzell Library today. The therapy dog program was added to the organization in 2008 under the direction of Traw, according to organization's website. 

The therapy dogs visit over 22 facilities on a regular basis, Traw said. They visit elementary schools and get kids to read to dogs, she said. 

"We get a lot of positive feedback," Traw said. 

Fox said if student responses continue to be positive, he will invite the therapy dogs back to campus next semester.  

Sources:

Michelle Traw

organization phone: 405-2247715

Darin Fox

Director of Law Library

darinfox@ou.edu

Organization website
newleashinc.org