Coronavirus has added to everyone’s stress levels. Young people have seen enormous disruption to their academic endeavors. Here is a great article about how one university in Hong Kong is helping alleviate that stress.
Gohan greets visitors with excitement, jumping up and licking their faces, and holds a special role on Hong Kong University of Science and Technology’s campus to help relieve student stress.
The four-year-old Shiba Inu has served as an in-house therapy dog at HKUST under an animal-assisted support programme introduced at the university last year.
“Studying can get stressful with a lot of assignments. It is relaxing to join a therapy dog session when I don’t have to think about any other things but enjoyment,” said Candy Tang Hau-tung, a final-year student majoring in electronic engineering.
Gohan, who was first adopted by a residence master at the university when he was around six months old, was granted an exemption from its no-pet rule and allowed to stay on the Clear Water Bay campus last year as a therapy dog.
During one-hour mingling sessions, HKUST students can interact with the dog, playing games such as fetch and patting him.
What a great program, and awesome dog to help young people cope with their stress.
Photo / Image Credit :
By ??? - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
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