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Canadian college sets up ‘Puppy Room’ for stressed-out students

I enjoy the opportunity to contribute my veterinary perspective to other pet writers.  My friend and fellow media cohort, Charyn Pfeuffer, recently published this article on MSN Living: Canadian College Sets Up ‘Puppy Room’ for Stressed-out Students Exams are an inevitable part of the college experience, and a university in Halifax, Canada is helping students cope with the stress – with a ‘Puppy Room,’ reports Toronto-based newspaper,The National Post. This week, Dalhousie University in Halifax will invite some very special four-legged guests to campus, including a Labradoodle, a Sheltie, a Papillon and a Golden Retriever. Stressed-out students can take a break from studying to visit the puppies for a quick cuddle, pet or moment of calm.
The program will be run through Therapeutic Paws of Canada, which advocates pet therapy for people suffering from high blood pressure, loneliness and depression. “The use of companion canines as emotional support animals (ESA) is a practice that can benefit both people and pets,” says Patrick Mahaney VMD, CVA of California Pet Acupuncture & Wellness (CPAW), Inc. in West Hollywood, Calif. “Provided the dogs are healthy enough to serve and are not exposed to potential pathogens from interacting with humans (yes, you can give your dog influenza virus and other organisms), the behavioral enrichment they receive through socialization serves as a positive experience in their day to day existences.” Michael Kean, the third-year environmental science student who proposed the idea posted the event to the university’s Facebook and Twitter pages and it took off. “It fills a niche that people need right now because students are super stressed,” Kean was quoted. Photo: IMAGEMORE Co., Ltd./Getty Images Please feel free to communicate with me through Twitter (@PatrickMahaney) and follow my adventures in veterinary medicine by liking Patrick Mahaney: Veterinarian Acupuncture Pain Management for Your Pets on Facebook.
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