Therapy dogs visit students during stressful finals week
Lamar University students are being encouraged to “paws” for a study break during finals week, beginning May 13. Certified therapy dogs with the local organization Paws 4 Love Southeast Texas Pet Therapy and rescue pups from the Humane Society of Southeast Texas will be on campus at the Mary and John Gray Library to help students de-stress and prepare for finals week, May 13-19.
Dogs of all shapes, sizes and colors can be petted, held and nuzzled on May 12 - 14 from 4-8 p.m. and May 15 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. The Humane Society of Southeast Texas will bring several rescue puppies for petting and also potential adoption. This is the fifth semester the therapy dogs have come to campus, and all students are encouraged to come out and have some fun with the animals during finals.
“Research shows that petting animals can help lower stress levels, lower blood pressure, and improve mood; something most students need during finals week,” said Sara Gubala, LU political science instructor and mother to Kennedy, a veteran LU therapy dog. “My favorite part is seeing the excited look on students’ faces when they walk into the library and see the dogs. Even if you’re scared of dogs, these dogs have been trained and they just want to be loved on.”
The Humane Society of Southeast Texas is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of animals and the promotion of animal welfare throughout Southeast Texas. The Humane Society operates solely on donations and volunteer work and welcomes support from the community. They shelter homeless animals until they can place them in good homes. The Humane Society can be contacted at (409) 833-0504 or (409) 722-0605.
For more information, contact Sara Gubala at sara.gubala@lamar.edu.
