by Entering Wilson Library on a Thursday morning you might expect study spaces and a quiet environment. Instead you’ll be met by furry friends looking to help clear your stress.
It’s the University of Minnesota’s P.A.W.S. program, the acronym stands for Petting Away Worry & Stress. The program is entering its 10th year of giving University of Minnesota students a healthy outlet for stress.
As finals loom ahead for students across the campus, P.A.W.S. director Tanya Bailey hopes that students will utilize the animal therapy workshop to manage any stress.
“One of the things that we don’t consider very often when our students come to campus is that oftentimes they leave behind their best friends, they leave behind their family. But we don’t consider that those pets they’ve grown up with are parts of those families, are parts of those best friends. And they come here and there’s no animals,” said Bailey, who has led P.A.W.S. since its first event in 2013.
The P.A.W.S. program initially started off as a once a week program. But as its popularity blossomed so did demand for more events. Now, the program runs four days a week Monday through Thursday. The locations aren’t always the same. Wilson Library, Coffman Memorial Union, and the St. Paul Student Center are just a few of the buildings that P.A.W.S. uses for events.
Though the locations might not always be the same, the times remain consistent. On Mondays the program is hosted from noon to 2 p.m.. Tuesdays it runs from 1-3 p.m.. On Wednesdays P.A.W.S. runs from 4-6 p.m.. And finally, on Thursdays it runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.. A very busy week for all involved.
P.A.W.S. is supported by several volunteers who bring in their animals to allow students to interact with them. Bailey says that P.A.W.S. is the only collegiate program of its type that runs weekly, and according to her a big part of that is the work of the volunteers.
The P.A.W.S. program is a big success with students at the university. Besides its expansion from one day a week to four days a week over its decade existence, Bailey estimates that at some of their bigger events they pull in over 200 students.
“I didn’t even realize it until I was here for like 15 minutes but I am the most relaxed I’ve been all week so I definitely recommend it,” said Owen Kirkwood, a freshman at Minnesota. He went on to explain that he didn’t originally plan to attend, he just happened to walk by and joined the event on a whim.
P.A.W.S. of course features everyday animals, dogs and cats are regular guests at P.A.W.S. events. Some of the regular guests include Mabel the black lab, Cayleigh the malti-poo, and Larry the pug.
“Dogs aren’t it for just everybody, and dogs can be really scary for some people, horses can be really scary. I have people that are scared of the chicken.” said Bailey,
Yes, you read that right.
The chicken.
Three chickens are regular guests at P.A.W.S. events. They include Hennifer, Attila the Hen (also known as Tilly), and Henley. The chickens are big attractions for the program and are advertised for their appearances.
Bailey expects the program to continue strong as it enters its second decade. She believes that allowing students access to animals has a major impact on their mental health.
So next time you feel that stress is building up in your life, maybe a trip to a P.A.W.S. event is in order. A little quality time with a therapy chicken can go a long way.
