Puppy Pawlooza is Furry Formula for Stress Relief
A long line of students snaked through Gerri C. LeBow on Tuesday, Dec. 2, and this time, they weren’t waiting for a Starbucks coffee. Puppy Pawlooza took over the second floor Grand Meeting Hall with therapy dogs ready to play with Drexel students in need of a stress relief break.
The tradition of bringing therapy dogs to campus prior to finals week was established last year, and by all accounts, it’s been a tremendous hit. Kevin Montgomery, director of college operations at LeBow College of Business, reports that over 600 students participated and over 500 surveys on student stress levels were collected.
Playing with pets is reported to reduce stress hormones and increase endorphins; the sense of calm in the groups of students sitting in circles around the therapy dogs was noticeable. Local media outlets took note, and the therapy dogs’ visit became the feel-good news story of the day.
Coverage of the event included the following media mentions:
