https://youtu.be/7hJ_Acn0KOg

Video by Courtney Stringfellow

Ospreys flocked to the first floor of the Thomas G. Carpenter Library on Monday, April 25 to take a break from finals and spend some time with therapy dogs in training.

Kelly Gates, the director of donor engagement and stewardship at UNF, said, “[the dogs] are here for some socialization to work on things like excitable greetings and just meeting new people.”

UNF’s Public Relations Department and Canine Companions for Independence allowed a few students at a time to spend five minutes with a dog so neither would get overwhelmed.

Some students who were in the library during the whole event enjoyed the time so much that they secured their spots in line, pet a few puppies, studied for a while, then repeated the process. 

Paws Your Stress began a few years ago when Sharon Ashton, the vice president of public relations, decided to find out more about the organization her neighbor and veterinarian Moody McCall worked with.

“[Ashton] said, ‘You know, I’m around these students and I see how frazzled they get during finals week,’” Gates said. “I think the students really anticipate it and I think it’s just a really nice time to just relax and take a little break from all the studying.”

Students who were not able to socialize with the canines will have other opportunities to destress during finals week, from painting to snoozing in the library.

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