Who let the dogs in?
A note outside Memorial University’s Health Sciences Library reads, ‘Tonight staring Reilly and Spock.’
It’s not an advertisement for an old Star Trek flick, but publicity for a different kind of performance.
Reilly and Spock are registered therapy dogs and they’re making an appearance to help ease exam stress for the medical, nursing and pharmacy students who frequent the library.
The dogs are scheduled for public appearances in the health sciences library on Friday evening, April 12, and over the weekend of April 13 and 14 from 2 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
“It’s a very stressful time for students, and we really wanted to do something for them,” said Lindsay Alcock Glynn, a public services librarian at the health sciences library. “Students aren’t able to bring in food, so we thought we’d try something a little different.”
Ms. Alcock Glynn heard about therapy dogs on campus last winter, when the Queen Elizabeth 11 library brought in therapy dogs for the first time to bring a little cheer into the lives of busy students.
She thought it was such a great idea that she contacted St. John’s Ambulance, the agency that arranges for these therapeutic visits.
Handlers signed up their dogs right away for the chance to work with students.
The first dog visitation was so went so well that Ms. Alcock Glynn heard almost immediately from one handler who said she and her dog thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
Students did too. They apparently took lots of pictures, and brought friends in to see the dogs.
“There were lots of smiling faces, and very happy people,” said Ms. Alcock Glynn, who hopes to continue the sessions into next week, if response if good. “Who doesn’t want to hug a dog or shake a paw?