Dr. Dog — THE EDGE

Who doesn't love pets? They are so forgiving, compassionate, and comforting. All they want is love and someone to play with. But animals have much more value than just a playmate to go play fetch with; all animals, more specifically dogs have therapeutic powers.

According to the National Association of Mental Illness, pets are statistically proven to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. A dog is literally a man or woman's best friend. They can support you and be there for you throughout it all despite not being able to converse in your language. Mental illness is something that a lot of college students face, and it’s a topic that has so much negative stigma around it. Animals, on the other hand, are always referenced in a positive light. Combining the two is the perfect response- someone struggling with mental illness is not going to feel embarrassed about having to spend time with a dog. And a dog is going to be elated to be able to spend time with someone, no matter what they are going through.

We here at The Edge know that when you’re a college student getting a dog is not an easy or affordable task to do, even if it’s for a good reason. That is why we recommend the Burlington Animal Shelter’s Dog Day Out Adventure Program. The program allows Elon students and members of the Burlington community to take out a dog from the shelter for the day. It allows for someone to be able to have the emotional highs and lows of having a dog without all the added commitment, and the best part is you can do it as much as you want.

A program like this is beneficial to everyone in the community. It allows for families to take dogs out for the day to see if they bond with them before they choose to adopt. It allows students to be able to understand all the responsibilities of having a dog before they decide to make that long-term commitment. And most importantly it allows those who need a little emotional support in their life to be able to take care of a dog for a day and bask in all the love and benefits that come with it.

Mental illness should be something that is taken seriously, and the approaches we take to combat mental illness should be taken more seriously, too. Pet therapy should be a more respected and acknowledged form of therapy. It takes away any aspect of fear or stigma when asking for help. You can even register your own dog and train them to be emotional support animals that can learn to understand your ticks and nerves and be able to calm you down.