| Presentation Proposal - NACADA Annual Conference |
| Presentation Info and Handouts |
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Code=173
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Conference Year:
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2026
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Session #:
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Title:
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For the Love of Dogs: Supporting the OSU Community through an Integrated Canine-Assisted Intervention |
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Lead Presenter:
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Rachel Schmitz |
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Date:
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December 31, 1969 Time: 6:00 pm - 6:00 pm |
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Room:
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Abstract:
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College students face increasing mental health challenges that negatively impact wellbeing and academic success, yet stigma and accessibility barriers limit traditional therapy utilization. Canine-assisted interventions (CAI) offer documented mental health benefits and have emerged as supplemental wellness resources on college campuses. This presentation evaluates Pete's Pet Posse (P3), an integrated campus pet therapy program at Oklahoma State University (OSU), at its 10-year anniversary. Since 2013, P3 has grown to include over 100 certified therapy dog teams conducting 600+ annual campus events serving 46,000+ people.
Results indicate P3 successfully addresses barriers to traditional mental health services while fostering social connections and institutional belonging. This empirically validated model demonstrates how integrated, long-term pet therapy programming can serve diverse campus populations beyond short-term exam stress relief. Future directions include expanding community engagement partnerships, developing pedagogical research protocols, and positioning P3 as a replicable model for institutionally integrated canine-assisted interventions supporting university wellness missions. |
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Handouts
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Note: Handouts (if offered for this session) are accessible via the conference app. |
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