Marissa Forster
Contributing Writer
While I can’t speak for everyone, the typical Wooster student’s day can be turned around in seconds upon walking into the Lowry Student Center and seeing smiling faces in red shirts accompanying their furry friends. Thursday, April 4 was one such special occasion.
Pause for Paws has run monthly for most of the school year, sponsored by the Office of Student Engagement. It is a popular opportunity for PAWS, a nonprofit organization that supports the Wayne County Dog Shelter and Adoption Center, to grace the evenings of stressed-out students with a pet and tail wag from a wide array of different (but equally lovable) therapy dogs. The dogs’ lovely owners are always more than excited to strike up a conversation about their four-legged companions and the amazing experiences they’ve had at their side.
The first dog to catch the eye of incoming patrons was Regan, a one-year-old dog who has already outgrown some Wooster students. The great dane is a newly certified therapy dog whose handshake was strong enough to nearly knock me over. Across from this gentle giant was Trixie, a tiny teacup dog with furry elf ears and an incomparable thousand-yard stare. Trixie was a model for the camera, while Regan shied away from the attention.
These pups accompanied the fan favorite Tazee, a border collie fluffier than a chinchilla yet ten times as large. Every time I have visited the event, Tazee has greeted students with a big smile and an eager demeanor. She was joined by the eager and investigative Trapper, who proudly sported a terrier’s version of a goatee. Across from Trapper was the tiny yet sassy Lil Dude. His name, the keeper explained, was an effort to stop onlookers from taking his long, luscious locks as an immediate sign that he was a girl.
Lil Dude’s keeper has been working with therapy dogs for many years and also works taking therapy dogs to local hospice centers. “In some individuals’ last moments, the only strength they can muster is that to pet a dog, which is in itself a therapeutic act,” the keeper explained. “It brings them and the family some inner peace as those moments are always spent in comfort.”
The process of training these dogs is not as stringent as one might think, according to Lynne Miller, who works in the College payroll office and assists with planning these events. Each dog must go through a 42 step certification process — including three practice visits — but there is no formal training program for therapy pets akin to that of service dogs. Miller was watching over the giant baby Regan when she revealed that all the therapy dogs, no matter their size, are insured for five million dollars. Those are some prized pooches!
The therapy dog program has brought smiles, laughs and brightened days to many of Wooster’s community members, from the students who took a moment of puppy-filled peace, to the faculty and staff who facilitated the event and benefited from their coordination. From the biggest beasts like Regan to the tiniest pups like Trixie, there is sure to be a dog (or many) that will capture your affection and accidentally take up your designated dinner time.