Therapy Animals

I recently spoke with Dr. Lauren Bergey, a biology professor at Centenary University in Hackettstown, New Jersey. She has a four-year-old french bulldog named Ramsey that she is trying to train to become a therapy dog. I though I'd sit down with her and ask her some questions about some concerns that come with therapy animals. She told me that only service animals are allowed anywhere but therapy animals are not and have to be approved by the DSO office and one must have a doctors note proving that they need the animal. Service animals are considered a need, while therapy animals are considered a comfort. While service animals are allowed in classrooms, the professors must take extra caution that no students are afraid or allergic to the animal. I do not think that it is fair that only service animals are allowed anywhere and therapy animals are not. I brought up the point of what if someone has anxiety and needs that comfort of an animal in class? If they cannot focus in the classroom because of their anxiety, it makes it almost stupid not to have an animal there that can calm them down and help them get through the class without their grades suffering because of it. Dr. Bergey was talking about how she had a student in one of her classes who had such bad anxiety presenting in front of others that she had to stay after class to do her presentation privately. "She was not doing well and she reached down and pet one of the dogs and then her presentation skills were phenomenal." Dr. Bergey stated. Sometimes it just takes something as simple and minuscule as touching an animal to completely remove the psychological barricades. Dr. Bergey was also saying that experts think that eventually it will become a federal law to allow therapy animals around as well. In order for a dog to become a therapy animals, it must get certified. Ramsey trains every week to get ready for his certification test. He needs to be able to sit and stay, lay down and stay, sit and wait 100 feet and then come to the owner, and must be able to get up on a chair so people can pet him. Biology students come twice a week for an hour to help train the dog. Dr. Bergey got Ramsey in July and must wait six months before taking him for his for his test. He will be tested sometime in January. I personally do not think its fair that a dog needs to be a certified service dog in order for students to take them around with them. Just because someone does not have a disability where they need a service animal doesn't mean they should not have one. I've talked to some students about this and they all agree that if someone has anxiety or depression or something where the presence of an animal comforts them and helps them through difficult situations, then they should have all the right to bring them around as long as they have permission from the professors. Luckily, Centenary University is pretty accommodating with things like that. No one seems to mind that kids bring their animals to class. It almost makes the class more enjoyable. I feel lucky to be able to go to a school and be around people who are very accepting of one another.