The Power of Puppies

The last week of school can be a grueling time for our students, but the Pre-Vet Society makes finals calmer and cuter with its semesterly Destress with Dogs event.

Liana Shallenberg '19 with Pedro.

Even though exams are self-scheduled at Haverford, the end of the semester can be grueling. To help with the pressure of all of those papers, projects, and tests, the Pre-Vet Society has, for at least the last four years, hosted a Destress With Dogs event to calm students’ nerves with a study break full of canine snuggles. (After all, petting a dog is a scientifically proven stress relief; it can lower blood pressure, regulate heart rate, and reduce anxiety!)

This semester’s event was held yesterday, in the middle of finals week, in the Whitehead Campus Center’s game room. The already adopted pups from Main Line Animal Rescue–Buddy the labradoodle, Pedro the chihuahua,  Calvin the spaniel, and Reed and Amber (breeds unknown)–enjoyed scratches behind their ears and on their belly and many hugs and kisses from students who were taking a much-needed break from their studies. The dogs clearly loved the attention, and the students did too.

Amber the dog
Maria Padron ’19 with Pedro
Nam Huynh ’19 with Buddy.
Calvin the spaniel with his owner.
Kevin Liao ’18 with Pedro.
Michael Weber ’19 with Reed.
Reed the dog
Ashley Guzman ’19 with Pedro the chihuahua.
Amber tries to lick the camera.
Ashley Guzman ’19 with Amber.
Hanae Togami ’19 with Buddy.
Liana Shallenberg ’19 with Michael Bueno ’18, who is holding Pedro.

Photos by Cole Sansom ’19