Campus Ministry hosts Dog Days

Campus+Ministry+hosts+Dog+Days

Bella Lee, Staff writer

When one’s had a long week, they might automatically look for a way to make themself feel better. One could hang out with friends, take a long walk, or stuff their face with food.

Fortunately, Campus Ministry has another option up their sleeve. On Sept. 16, for the first time in two years, the annual Dog Days event was hosted once again.

On this special day, students and staff bring in their dogs, big and small, for students to pet, give treats and play with.

From Ares the Mastiff puppy to Teddy the black Labrador Retriever, everyone’s serotonin levels skyrocketed as they enjoyed time with these pooches.

“We’ve been hosting Dog Days for a handful of years now, and there is always a great response to it,” said Michelle Scully, Campus Minister and one of the organizers of Dog Days.

“We figured it was something that campus ministry could coordinate that would bring some joy to students’ days,” said Scully.

Nearly every student on campus has at least one pet at home, whether it’s a cat, dog or something more obscure like a fish or gerbil. Dog Days was organized to help these students whenever they miss home or their pets.

“In the fall, after people have been on campus for a month, especially new students, we know some homesickness can begin to sink in, including people being homesick for their pets,” Scully said.

“We figured while this doesn’t replace seeing their own pets, it still is a wonderful way to connect with some pups!”

Now comes the important question: will Dog Days happen in the spring as well? Since Dog Days generally occurs in the fall, this has piqued the interest of some students.

“We have done Dog Days in the Spring sometimes, it usually just depends on schedules of other events and if we can fit it in,” Scully said.

Anyone on campus who has a dog nearby, whether they live on campus as an emotional support dog or at home, is welcome to bring their pet.

“Anyone is welcome to bring their dog (student, employee, neighbor) as long as the dog gets along well with people and other dogs, since there will be plenty of both of those,” Scully said.

This was the first time since before the pandemic that students were able to enjoy the company of a dog, since last year’s event was unable to occur due to COVID.

If students ever go to the Counseling Center, they also have the opportunity to meet Bailey the therapy dog. Until then, hug your pets until the next event!