The student newspaper of Bucks County Community College

The Centurion

The student newspaper of Bucks County Community College

The Centurion

The student newspaper of Bucks County Community College

The Centurion

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Heaven Is A Place With Therapy Dogs

Heaven+Is+A+Place+With+Therapy+Dogs

Well, that might not be the case if you’re into cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, or snakes, but Comfort Dogs on Campus is sure to please the students who would agree that being in a room full of dogs is only a slice of paradise.
When speaking to Jennifer Osinski, the director of the Accessibility Office here at Bucks, she explained that Comfort Dogs on Campus is an event that begins from March 1, from 11:30 a.m., to 1:30 p.m. in which “a volunteer group shows up to provide therapy dogs for students and faculty. “
Osinski also added that the event would take place “here at the Students Services Office, in the room behind the receptionist’s desk.” The purpose of this event is to reduce stress in students by providing emotional support and improving moods through these therapy dogs.
The therapy dogs belong to Nor’Wester Therapy Dogs, a non-profit organization that once started as a “reading dog” program but has now evolved into an organization dedicated to all branches of education, in the effort to become a true learning program.
More specifically, the organization uses therapy dogs to motivate children into working by making their environment more enjoyable, which would enhance their learning experience. In addition, the therapy dog handlers work well with children and support them by helping them with their academic and reading skills.
In addition, the organization also participates with the community, in events that support the group’s mission. The group also aids in crisis intervention, in which therapy dog teams work with other groups to support families and students going through a community-wide tragedy.
Although they have worked with many schools, Osinski admitted that this would be the first time working together for such a program. In other words, this event is a pilot, and of it goes well, then there could be more collaborations with this organization in the future.
Despite this being the first time, Osinski wasn’t worried in the least. She revealed that her confidence comes from the fact that many faculty members here at Bucks had already worked with the organization and have always been met with great reviews.
Faced with such positive comments, Osinski happily stated, “We’re very lucky to have such a supportive team. They’re fantastic and I look forward to working with them.”
When asked if there would be another events such as this one, Osinski replied by saying that although there could be more in the future, she noted that in the end, it is all “one step at a time.”
Osinski ended it off by saying that she is “looking forward to meeting everyone” and also mentioned that “if any student needs help, to reach out to our services,” jokingly adding that they are all free. More seriously, she expressed her optimism for this event and ended by saying that she and the Student Services Office truly “would like to help anyone in need.”
If you would like to know more about the organization, visit www.NorWesterReaders.com. If you’re a big dog lover, then this is not an event that you want to miss, so stop by when you have the chance!