By Erin Murphy
RIVER FOREST- On Wednesday, December 10th, the therapy dogs from Pet Partners will be returning to Concordia. A staple of finals week, the dogs of different breeds and sizes will be on campus to help students unwind from the stress of finals.
Understanding the stress that comes along with finals, Mia Garcia-Hills, head of Academic Advising, wanted to invite the much loved therapy dogs, provided by Pet Partners, back to Concordia to help struggling students get rid of the week-long “funk” that comes with finals.
Pet Partners is a non-profit organization that is the national leader in demonstrating and promoting positive human-animal therapy, activities and education. Their goal is to show that people are happier and healthier with a pet companion. Research confirms that people that have pets are less likely to suffer from depression, as playing with a pet can increase serotonin and dopamine in the mind causing a calm, relaxed demeanor. Pet Partners mainly goes to hospitals, nursing homes and hospice centers. However, they also visit schools such as Concordia University.
Students are encouraged to take time to visit and de-stress with the therapy dogs from 3 pm to 5 pm Wednesday, December 10th in the Addison foyer.
