Photograph by Kiwi NZ
Stress is know to have a negative impact on performance, and following Yale Law School’s lead, when in 2011 when they loaned out a “therapy dog” to students, Dalhousie University in Halifax Nova Scotia has set up a “puppy room” to help de-stress students during exams last December.
The idea for the puppy room came from an environmental science student at the university, but was rapidly popularised by the university’s student union. It was then in partnership with Therapeutic Paws of Canada (TPoC) that three dogs were made available to students for play to help them de-stress during final exams.
The dogs were not actually puppies, as the young animals can become overwhelmed by crowds, and the first day of the partnership nearly 500 students joined the event. The demand for the canine cuteness was so great, that the student union also added a free shuttle service to the local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals as an alternative.
Here’s a video of the programme in action:
