Vandal Health partnered with Palouse PAWS, short for Palouse Animal Wellness and Surgery Center, to bring therapy dogs to the University of Idaho library on Sept. 12 as part of Suicide Awareness Week. The dogs were there to give students a chance to relax and develop better coping mechanisms through interaction.
Palouse PAWS explained how therapy dogs are calm animals that, along with their owners, volunteer at locations like UI, companies or community centers. Their presence is used as a source of comfort and a tool for coping with stress. Studies show that petting a dog can ease anxiety. In educational settings, therapy dogs have been found to enhance learning by helping improve focus. UI’s incorporation of therapy dogs aims to support students in similar ways.
Vandal Health’s goal with these events is not only to assist with learning but also to spread awareness about the services they offer and to inform students about making health-conscious decisions. The partnership with Palouse PAWS aligns with both organizations’ missions. According to PAWS, their mission is “education, excellence, and enhancement,” and they also aim to educate the public about their resources and services.
The therapy dog visit was just one of the events held during Suicide Awareness Week, with both Vandal Health and Palouse PAWS striving to raise awareness and provide support to the students and the Moscow community. Students who attended on Sept. 12 were able to relax with the therapy dogs, and they’ll have more opportunities to do so when the dogs return to campus on Oct. 10 and Nov. 13.
Loki Walters can be reached at [email protected]
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