A long day at school, followed by several hours of standing on your feet at work, takes a toll on the soul. The only saving grace sometimes is that cute, furry, happy-eyed, four-legged friend waiting for you at home. Whether a cat or dog lover, there is no denying the emotional support our furry creatures offer us. Life events happen, and then suddenly your stress levels seem to be on the rise. If you aren’t lucky enough to have a four-legged friend waiting for you at home, you may want to go find one to love on.
Puppy rooms are becoming more popular on college campuses. According to DogTime.com playing with pets can help lower blood pressure, lower stress, and manage depression. Yale Law Library, according to ABC News, allows students to “check-out” a certified service dog for 30 minutes of unconditional love. Yale isn’t the only university doing this as well. Tufts University in Massachusetts, Oberlin College in Ohio, and UC San Diego in California are just a few of the universities that part take in these practices.
The main ringleader in providing college students with loveable dogs to destress with is Therapy Dogs International (TDI). TDI is a volunteer organization bringing therapy dogs to wherever they’re needed. In a study performed by TDI, the organization states that the use of therapy dogs provides three benefits:
• Animal contact helps people out on a psychological level.
• These benefits are only manifested in certain situational and conditional contexts.
Even through puppy rooms are generally found on college campuses, imagine having them at work. Finally, TDI’s slogan is this, “Paws Awhile For Love.” With life often being a looming cloud, try to find comfort in a furry, four-legged friend. “Paws” for a moment for love.