| Cuilin Ge pets one of the therapy dogs in the lobby of the Jerome Library the Sunday before finals week at BGSU. (Photos: Shane Hughes/Sentinel-Tribune) |
The stress relief experts on campus Sunday came with great credentials – wagging tails,
begging brown eyes and long friendly tongues.The three therapy dogs were brought to Bowling Green State
University library on Sunday just as students reached a peak in studying for their final exams.The canines –
a black lab named General Eisenhour, and two golden retrievers named Maddy and Macy – gladly offered their
services to stressed students."When we bring them in and they start petting them, it just relieves the
stress," said John Abbott, of Blissfield, Mich., who brought Eisenhour and who tests the dogs to make
sure they qualify for therapy duty.Zubin Devitre, a sophomore from Cleveland majoring in psychology, zeroed
in on the dogs who had flopped down on a rug in the center of the library lobby."They are more friendly
than most of the people I know," Devitre said.He was joined by Beverly Vetovitz, a junior from
Cleveland majoring in math education. They had been studying at the student union when they heard the
therapy dogs were on duty at the library."I needed a puppy break," Vetovitz said. "I’ve been
doing math for however many hours."The dogs delivered exactly what she needed. "The first thing
they did was plop on my lap."The canines seemed oblivious to the high stress level among the students
cramming for finals."They are always happy. They just love being pet," said Jason Rosensteel, a
freshman from Worthington majoring in music education.Unlike professors, who have standards students are
expected to meet, the dogs weren’t particular."They love you, no matter what," said Anna Flemming,
a freshman from Crystal Lake, Ill., majoring in film. "They are just so understanding."
| Ivory Price pets one of the therapy dogs in the lobby of the Jerome Library the Sunday before finals week at BGSU. |
Like many of the students, Flemming was reminded of her dogs back home – Sadie
the cockapoo, and Cora the husky."You can’t beat the feeling of a dog curling up with you," she
said.Rachel Welker, a freshman from Troy, was also reminded of the dog she left behind when she came to
BGSU."I have a dog just like this at home," she said as Eisenhour licked her hand. "His name
is Rooster."Chris Gerhardstein, a senior from Columbus majoring in English as a foreign language, was
reminded how his dogs used to pull him around on his skateboard."I’m just a dog person," he said.
"Dogs are a great thing to have here on finals week.""It reminds you of the kid inside
you," Gerhardstein said. "It’s good to wake that kid up and let him play."The therapy dogs
were just one of the many stress relievers offered for students during "Finals SOS – Study on
Sunday." BGSU also provided popcorn, pizza, hot dogs, cookies and origami.The dogs proved to be the
most popular, according to Lisa Tatham, who works in the administrative office at the library."We had
no idea it would be so awesome. The kids see them and just flock over," Tatham said. "I think they
are a bigger hit than the cookies."And that is saying a lot when food is outranked for college
students, she said.The dogs didn’t seem to mind working on a Sunday."They are very needy" and love
to be pet, said Nancy Breitner, who had brought her therapy dogs Maddy and Macy from her home in Ida, Mich.
