Doggy De-Stress Day Returns to Campus

After the popularity of last year’s Doggy De-stress Day, Warwick University’s Students’ Union (SU) hosted the event again on Monday 26 October to raise money and awareness for Guide Dogs UK.

As part of the SU’s Disability Awareness Week programme, Warwick Raising and Giving (RAG) Society teamed up with Guide Dogs UK by inviting students to spend some time with guide dogs and puppies of all ages after paying a £2 entrance donation.

Photo: Natalya Smith

The event proved to be as popular as it was last year, with over 1,700 people on Facebook saying they would be attending.

Students could guarantee some time with the dogs by signing up for a slot online from midday the previous Thursday; 400 slots were filled within the first few minutes of being open.

Event organiser and Warwick RAG Vice-President Aine Donnelly estimated that over 500 people turned up on the day.

Throughout the day, students visited a stall selling merchandise and giving out information about the charity, while some of the dogs were walked around the SU Atrium to give more students a chance to pet them and discuss the charity.

The total amount of money raised during the day was £1351.28. Ms Donnelly and Jenny Wheeler, Warwick SU’s Disabled Students Officer, were pleased to have raised more than the target amount needed to name a guide dog puppy.

Some of this money was raised by holding a raffle, the winner of which will get to choose the puppy’s name.
Ms Wheeler, who organised the first Doggy De-stress Day, said that she was glad Warwick RAG got involved with the charity to raise student awareness, especially during Disability Awareness Week.

“It’s always very popular online so we’re aiming to have a Doggy De-stress Day at least once a term,” said Ms Wheeler, who emphasised the importance of holding the event “during exam time in Term Three because it’s always in high demand then.”

Photo: Natalya Smith

Doggy De-stress Day is not only beneficial for the students, Ms Wheeler added, but the volunteers who bring the guide dogs to the event and can meet other guide dog owners.

Additionally, she explained that the day acts as good training for the dogs themselves, since they get to mix with a variety of people and other dogs.

First-year maths student Becky Bedford, who visited the SU to see the puppies, liked how the event “allowed people to become more aware” of the charity by using the dogs to attract more interest.

Ms Bedford said that “it makes you fully realise how much [disability] can affect someone’s life and how much the dogs help them,” and added that “a lot of people have dogs at home, so bringing the guide dogs in creates a sense of familiarity.”