Dog Tales to offer finals therapy in residence halls
Betty Lewis said she knows students are becoming overwhelmed in preparation for final exams.
That’s why the philosophy and religion executive secretary is bringing Dog Tales to residence halls.
Lewis is the founder and coordinator of the all-volunteer group, which is the first of its kind in Michigan. Dog Tales uses dogs as a therapeutic tool to help mid-Michigan children improve their reading skills and self esteem.
Through the upcoming week, however, Dog Tales will be providing relaxation for a different group.
The group will visit Carey, Calkins, Woldt, Kesseler, Thorpe, Sweeney, Robinson and Campbell halls until Tuesday to give some students a break from studying.
“Everybody is tense and distracted by the end of the term studying,” Lewis said. “It’s a nice distraction.”
All dogs and handlers must complete a certification process to be involved in the group. Each dog is routinely groomed and sprayed with solution killing bacteria and alleviating allergies for those who might be affected.
Dog Tales brought a handler and certified therapy dog Monday night to Beddow Hall, kicking off the fourth year the group has visited residence halls.
“It has been proven that contact with dogs lowers blood pressure and stress,” said Margy Riemer, a Mount Pleasant resident and Dog Tales member.
Riemer attended the event with her therapy dog Boomer, who wore a “chick magnet” scarf and “Ladies Man” perfume. Boomer was rescued from going to the pound after being left in the woods for four months to fend for himself, she said.
Most of the dogs used for the program are rescue dogs, Lewis said.
David Rudzinski and Baxter, his six-year-old golden retriever, have been Dog Tales members since it began four years ago. The dogs love both the people and attention they get, he said.
“This is a kind of a distraction, it’s a scheduled break,” Rudzinski said. “Do you study or do you go play with the dogs?”
Having the dogs there also is a great way for residents to meet and talk to new people, Lewis said.
“Dogs are great ice breakers,” she said. “They talk about their own dogs and it reminds them of home.”
Celeste Walker, a Montrose senior and Beddow Hall resident assistant, said the residents enjoy having the dogs there.
“This is mostly for the residents – all the programming we do is to benefit them,” she said.
Taylor sophomore Natalie Davis said the event is helpful for dog lovers.
“I just came because I have a puppy and thought there might be puppies here, too,” the Taylor sophomore said. “Plus, I thought it would be therapeutic.”
