Visits from “Pause with Paws” pups help students, staff and faculty de-stress
Next visit: Feb. 9
By Alexis Ofilas
Echo Staff Writer
After a long winter break from classroom assignments, research and exams, returning to school can feel more than stressful.
One antidote to all that angst? Spending even a few minutes with a beloved dog, who can put a smile on your face and turn a tense day all the more pleasant.
Every two weeks, RCTC’S Compassion Corner invites a licensed therapy dog to Goddard Library for a “Pause with Paws” event. All are welcome — even if you prefer cats.
The next visit is Thursday, Feb. 9, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., featuring Tim Moynihan and Bernie, a 4-year-old GoldenDoodle.
Bernie has accomplished a lot to become a therapy dog, Moynihan said. He completed obedience training and passed an American Kennel Club citizenship test. Every year, he is also required to pass an annual certification.
Dogs also must show compassion, resilience, confidence and patience during their working hours. Bernie, Moynihan said, meets all these requirements. But, like most dogs, he gets the zoomies and loves to run, fetch and bark at the geese haunting our campus parking lots.
Tim Moynihan and Bernie (photo by Alexis Ofilas)
Other animals have also participated in Pause with Paws, including Cookie, a King Charles spaniel, and Mintleigh, a rabbit rescued by one of RCTC’s communications instructors, Dan West. West hopes to bring Mintleigh back next Fall.
Moynihan adopted Bernie when he was 9 months old from Paws and Claws, a Rochester-based nonprofit that seeks adoptive homes for abandoned or lost companion animals. Bernie, he said, loves sweets, including whipped cream, vanilla lactose-free ice cream, and any kind of pup-cup. During his visits, Moynihan encourages visitors to give Bernie a handful of dog treats and watch him perform a multitude of tricks.
The Compassion Club, organized by Sandra Aaby, plays host to many other events in the Compassion Corner throughout the school year, including mandala-making, pinch pots and passive muscle relaxation -– all led by RCTC faculty and staff.
A report from Harvard Medical School found that dogs offer many healthy benefits to their humans, aside from just getting them outside for a walk. The study revealed that having a dog can also reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness, help calm jagged nerves, and improve the lives of older individuals. Just petting a dog can lower the petter’s blood pressure and heart rate, while having a positive effect on the dog, too, according to the report.
The Goddard library is located on the second floor of the RCTC Main Campus, right above the One-Stop-Center. Click here for future visits with Bernie.
Echo reporter Erik Benson contributed to this story.
RCTC student Amina Cisija dropped by last Fall to say hello to Mintleigh, a 5-year-old Netherland Dwarf/Silver Marten mix. Cisija was doing work-study in the library at the time. (photo by Erik Benson)