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RABBIA MOLAI
managing editor
rabbia.molai@my.tccd.edu

TR students spent the day with therapy dogs during a now monthly event.

On Sep. 8, two therapy dogs along with their owners came to the TR Campus fish tank and allowed students to come and destress by spending time with them. 

Library manager Stephanie Wineman, who organized the event, spoke about TCC prioritizing mental health for the students and faculty by using events like this to give them a break in between their schedules.

“I immediately saw the value of students spending 15 or 20 minutes with the animals,” said Wineman “It is an opportunity for students to reset themselves. A reset mood, frame of mind or viewpoint helps students in their classes.” 

According to Wineman, the therapaws event has been held at TR Campus on and off since 2014, and now due to the positive student response, they plan on having the dogs come on a monthly basis.

“This will be our first visit for this new academic year,” Wineman said. “Responses from students are mostly positive. Most students welcome the time with the animals and look forward to their visits. We do track student visits and it shows that students visit again and again during our monthly sessions.”

For students like Danielle Mares, therapaws is an event that she looks forward to every month.

“I really like just being able to come in here because I have such a busy schedule,” Mares said. “I work here and I am a full-time student, so coming in here and seeing the dogs really brightens my mood.”

The benefits of these events aren’t just for the students, according to Lynne Buchwald the owner of one of the therapy dogs, Maddie, said that these events also benefit the dogs.

“The benefit for the therapy dogs is just time to destress and enjoy being a dog,” Buchwald said.

Buchwalds pup Maddie, a schnauzer/terrier mix, was one of the two dogs at the event. She showed off tricks such as high fives and pressing a button to tell everyone her name. Maddie’s companion at the event was Cokeita, an old English sheepdog who cuddled up to guests and allowed them to braid her hair.

For students like Mares, these events are something she continues to look forward to as a way to have a balanced school experience.

“It’s a 5-10 minute break where I can just sit down and pet the dogs and admire them and it’s really nice.”