Pets help rid students of finals stress

Freshman Stephanie Austin said she knew Puddles, her retriever-setter mix, would be an excellent candidate to help stressed students.\nSo under sunny skies Sunday afternoon, Austin brought Puddles to Briscoe Quad for a study break to ease stress through “pet therapy.” Students and faculty interested in relieving finals stress came to pet and play with Puddles or one of four other dogs.\nThe event, called Furry Finals Fix, was sponsored by the student group Revitalizing Animal Well-Being.\n“This event was based on the premise that animals are good therapy,” said Courtney Wennerstrom, the group’s co-president and co-founder. “I teach a freshman W131 course. I see the students’ stress, and I thought this would be a good idea to give back to the IU community.”\nThe group has other events, including a pet show and dog wash, planned for this year. \n“All of our projects are positive to interact positive change,” Wennerstrom said. \nThroughout the afternoon, students came to play with not only Puddles, but Maddie, Gatsby and two poodles. Volunteers brought the dogs.\nWith an enthusiastic expression, freshman Amy Ingram walked up to Puddles. She settled on the lawn to soothingly stroke and pet the retriever-setter mix amid studying the Sunday before finals.\n“Dogs always make me feel better,” Ingram said. “I don’t think anybody could pet a dog and feel sad. It’s impossible – there’s no way.”\nAustin has finals and said she is highly stressed, but bringing Puddles to the event helped her as well, she said.\n“I get to pet and play with the other dogs, too,” she said, noting that as a dog owner, she personally finds it easier to study. “When she’s not laying on my books, that is,” Austin said of Puddles. “But she is right there to touch, so soft and soothing.”\nAustin added that what makes animals helpful in relaxing and easing stress is that they are so accepting of anyone. \n“Students are stressed and away from the pets at home,” Wennerstrom said. “We have our dogs here, so we thought, why not bring them and give the students the opportunity to de-stress.”\nStudents weren’t the only ones enjoying the furry company. The dogs affectionately rolled around in the grass and wagged in appreciation of the attention. Puddles especially ate up the attention. As soon as Ingram began rubbing her belly, Puddles went from the inability to sit still to relaxation. \nGraduate student Sonya Satinsky’s allergies prevent her from owning any pets of her own.\n“I planned this as a study break, to come here with the animals,” Satinsky said. “It was great ... and a good way to spend time with the animals.”\nWennerstrom said scientific studies show that animals lower blood pressure. \n“But there is a magic quality in them,” she said. “Animals are generally good for people.”\nFor sophomore Madeline Cole, Sunday’s “furry fix” allowed her to spend time with animals that aren’t allowed in her University apartment.\n“It’s nice to focus on something unrelated (to school),” she said. “And to just sit and pet the animals is very helpful in unstressing.”\nFreshman Josh Garver visited the event with junior Matt Heston. Both said they “honestly just came out to play with the animals and de-stress for finals.”\n“Puddles is adorable,” Garver said. “If this event is continuous, more attention will be attracted to it.”\nHeston agreed. “Animals have a natural way of calming you down and relaxing you.”