MEDIA ADVISORY
David Ruth
713-348-6327
david@rice.edu
Jeff Falk
713-348-6775
jfalk@rice.edu
Rice University students to de-stress with therapy pets during finals
HOUSTON – (April 29, 2015) – During final exam days, Rice University students will have the opportunity to mingle, de-stress and share hugs with dogs of various breeds April 30 and May 1 at the university’s Fondren Library, 6100 Main St.
The library has asked Houston pet therapy organization Faithful Paws to bring its friendly canines to the first-floor reference collection area of Fondren from 5 to 9 p.m. April 30 and from 3 to 7 p.m. May 1.
This is the fourth year Fondren Library has held therapy dog sessions during finals and has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from students, according to library staff members.
For more information about Faithful Paws, a program founded in 1997 and sponsored by Bellaire United Methodist Church, visit www.faithfulpawshouston.com.
Media interested in covering one of the pet therapy sessions should RSVP to Jeff Falk, associate director of national media relations at Rice, at jfalk@rice.edu or 713-348-6775.
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Thank you for this research. I started teaching PAP Physics last year and noticed a high stress level, so I brought stuffed animals in to quell the stress. I continued this year with AP Physics 1 students. Some of my students pick up their favorite animals before going to their seats. Since we can’t have all the live animals on campus,. this is the next best thing.
The main benefit of pet therapy is that it is acts as a natural, drug-free, stress-buster prescription.