K-State has a friendly — and furry — face spreading smiles and serenity across campus
After a ruff day of classes, a little stress relief can go a long way — especially when it comes in the form of a friendly golden retriever named Oakley.
Oakley’s owner and handler, Jenneen LeMay, assistant director of the Morrison Family Center for Student Well-being, knew even when Oakley was a puppy that he would make a great therapy dog.
“I knew early on that Oakley was a natural mood booster because he was so good at getting close to people and enjoying physical contact,” LeMay said. “He’s very emotional, and he just wants everybody’s love all the time.”
LeMay decided to take Oakley to therapy dog training to fulfill his potential. He earned his certificate and even received the Canine Good Citizen certificate, which is a prerequisite for obtaining therapy dog recognition.
Connection on campus
Oakley and Lemay can regularly be seen walking through campus prepared to bring comfort and joy to students.
“The reaction from students, faculty and staff has just been incredible,” LeMay said. “It is so rewarding to see how happy they are when they’re with Oakley. I cannot tell you the number of students who say, ‘This is what I needed today.'”
Oakley’s duties are primarily centered in the Morrison Family Center for Student Well-being, but he is also available for class or office visits and will eventually have drop-in hours.
LeMay said Oakley will also be involved in THRIVE Navigators, well-being workshops, Green Bandana Project trainings and Wellcat chats in collaboration with Lafene Health Center’s Counseling and Psychological Services.
As a therapy dog, Oakley does not have the same public access as service or emotional support animals.
“Since Oakley is a therapy dog, he doesn’t have legal access to public spaces,” LeMay said. “We as a therapy team must be invited into spaces on campus to provide comfort and support to groups of people.”
But students still have many opportunities to see Oakley in action and experience a little “puppy-love” at K-State.
“It’s really neat to see how an animal can bring people together,” LeMay said. “It is so fun to see the interactions that students have with each other when he’s at the center of the circle. We know that’s really important for our students, and we want to continue to provide opportunities to do that.”
By Kate Ellwood
Curated from Companionship for ‘Cats