A Shih Tzu therapy dog named Cooper is available all-year-round to students, staff and faculty at Harvard to help deal with academic or career pressure. What better way to relieve stress than with man's best friend?
A therapy animal can have a significant impact on a person whether it is a dog, cat, horse, or any other animal. Animals offer important benefits to those in need.
Once can find therapy pets in homes, hospitals, and nursing homes. But did you know that these animals are now being brought into schools and universities to help ease the stress and anxiety that students face during the school year? Yep, it is believed that therapy animals can help with the ongoing stress that students go through.
Harvard Medical School's Countway Library of Medicine is offering the services of a Shih Tzu therapy dog named Cooper to students, staff and faculty throughout the academic year to test this theory. Harvard Medical School researcher Dr. Loise Francisco is Cooper's owner; she figured her dog would be up to the task since he has a calm and gentle nature. He is very obedient and likes people, too, which makes him a good fit for a therapy animal.