Students Paws for Therapy Dogs

By Donia El-Haddad
Mediaplex Examiner

In the midst of midterm assignments and exams, St. Clair College is offering a therapeutic solution for its students says Gregory Lowry Mental Health Counsellor and Educator.

“Why the therapy dogs? Because its proven just the act of petting an animal.” Explains Lowry. “Petting a dog can bring our anxiety levels down and release those endorphins those happy chemicals.”

Studies strongly suggest that the act of petting a dog can lower blood pressure. Petting a dog elevates levels of serotonin and dopamine those happy chemicals in our brain that make us feel better”

The service is provided by the SRC through St. John’s Ambulance. The main handler is Sandra Hall who owns three dogs and has been training them for 15 years. Does the service have an adverse reaction to the dogs?

“When they’re at their homes they can be their usual selves but they all understand here that they are working and so they cannot show any sign of anything. We’ve had people in this student life center knock over tables and chairs and all they do is look. They can’t react to anything.”

How’ll students find the therapy dogs? The service is provided weekly every Wednesday from 11:30am to 12:30pm in the student life center throughout the school year.