PAWS of CNY has had a busy spring, attending several student activities at our local colleges and universities. PAWS of CNY volunteers were pleased to have the opportunity to visit with students at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Oswego’s Johnson Hall on Tuesday, May 5. Dianne Restuccio and her golden retriever Enzo attended the event.
“We took our dogs to the main lounge of the dorm and each dog sat with separate groups of students for visiting time,” said Restuccio. “Generally Enzo stays by my side sitting or lying down while the students sit on the floor and interact with him. He is very mellow and just lets them pet him…He seems to like college visits a lot.”
In addition to visiting skilled nursing facilities, hospitals, and libraries, PAWS of CNY volunteers attend several college and university events throughout the year. Events range from de-stress activities, to fundraisers, to dorm visits. The key to PAWS of CNY’s success is selecting only the most loving, compassionate, and well-trained dogs to join the organization – dogs like Enzo.
“Enzo gets all excited and heads to the door as soon as he sees his therapy vest!” said Restuccio. “When we get to our destination he wags his tail and heads right over to the students or others that we visit to check them out.”
For more information on the certification process required of PAWS of CNY’s therapy dogs, visit our certification page.