UCA Campus Recreation and Wellness came together with Living Unleashed and held a “Pause for Paws,” April 14.

The event was held on the front lawn of the Ronnie Williams Student Center and focused on providing a destresser for students as they head toward finals week.

Living Unleashed is a UCA Recognized Student Organization that works with dogs and puppies to train them and become companions for people with disabilities. 

From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Campus Recreation and Wellness had a refreshments table that anyone could help themselves to, then go play with the dogs. 

On top of the stress relieving from the puppies, Campus Recreation and Wellness provided fidget toys and other small trinkets for anyone who stopped by. 

Assistant Director of Student Wellness Vergie Jackson said, “We like to collaborate with our partners on campus, specifically in the spring because the weather is so nice, so we put [the event] all together.”

There were quite a few dogs from Living Unleashed in attendance, each with their respective owner or club member/volunteer puppy raiser, who is a part of the organization and volunteers to train a dog to become a working dog.

Some of the dogs were older – well into their path of being a companion dog – and other, newer puppies, who have just begun their training. 

Students and staff stopped by on their way through the area, and played around with the dogs for as long as they wanted. 

Jackson said at least sixty students had stopped by the event.

Leading up to finals week, it’s easy for students to feel stressed about their final exams and projects, but with this event they were able to decompress if they needed to. 

“I believe they will benefit from…having downtime with the doggies, petting them and having fun with friends – social cohesion,” Jackson said. 

As the event went on, more and more people gathered on the front lawn to say hello to all of the dogs that Living Unleashed brought out and to indulge in the refreshments and toys given by Campus Recreation and Wellness

“Pause for Paws” was also an opportunity to highlight Living Unleashed on campus as a whole.

Living Unleashed Puppy-Sitting Chair Bethanie Yanke said. “This event was for us to bring awareness to Living Unleashed and [highlight] what we do on campus.”

Anyone can join to be a volunteer puppy trainer with Living Unleashed, and this event made sure to spread that word around. 

“Raising service dogs is a fun thing to do for us,” Yanke said. “We truly enjoy anybody who loves animals and encourage everybody to join.”

Living Unleashed holds an interest meeting every semester, for anyone wanting to become a puppy trainer. 

“We love people, and if you love dogs, come join,” Yanke said.