On Tuesday February 18th PAWS of CNY attended the Winter Carnival event at Syracuse University’s L.C. Smith College of Engineering. The event allowed the engineering students at L.C. Smith College to take a well-deserved break from intense study and enjoy a variety of fun and stress-busting activities.
Four volunteer teams from PAWS of CNY attended the Carnival, including Etsuko and her cavalier king charles spaniel Allie, Pamela Southworth and her terrier mix Cooper, Katie Rossi and her golden retriever Riley and Joanne Shibley and her pug Quincy. The event was one of several student therapy events that PAWS of CNY has participated in over the past year. Said Joanne Shibley, “Quincy and I have been to SU three times this year. I feel that Quincy is a great dog for the students. He is very laid back. Some students said that he reminded them of their pet at home…[and] the students verbalized how they felt so much more relaxed.”
PAWS of CNY has greatly expanded their student therapy program throughout 2013 and 2014. Students at colleges and universities such as Syracuse University and SUNY Oswego are benefiting from the healing benefits of pet assisted wellness services. Said Shibley, “Pets relieve stress by just the feel of their fur. [The] motion of petting is almost a reflex. No matter what illness or disability, people are happy to pet the dogs, and they talk about home, and take their minds off their current illness.”
To learn more about the programs that PAWS of CNY offers, visit our programs page.