HUNTSVILLE, AL—
It was a rare sight at UAHuntsville. In the Shelby Center, where the February 12th shooting took place, 14 dogs comforted and loved-on hurting faculty, staff and students.From a 220 pound English Mastiff to a Shih Tzu, therapy dogs and their owners visited UAHuntsville to offer quiet support.
Therapy Partners Volunteer Connie Gates and her dog Katie were on a mission to help heal the hearts of the UAHuntsville community. Gates said it was a hard day at the University.
Talking about Katie, she said, "She seems to know what each person needs, and some people she will gently pet, and then lick, and then nuzzle. And, then some, she really goes into and sticks her head on them, and seems to really understand that they need more."
Gates said lots of people approached Katie, some staying for thirty seconds, and others, for fifteen minutes. She said she saw some people struggling to hold it together ... that they were just trying to find the strength to go on.
About Katie, Gates said, "She knows there's sadness in there and there's a high level of anxiety and uncertainty, and I think she picks up on the individual emotions that people are having."
Gates set up a quilt inside where people sat down, petted Katie and chatted. She said they wanted to talk about their sadness, but other things too, so some told her about their dogs.
"Oh look at you! I really don't want to kiss!" a person in UAHuntsville attire cooed to the English mastiff.
Therapy Partners Director Margie Wiesman said several people inside the Shelby Center were emotional, and one person asked a dog and handler to escort them to class.
Wiesman said the therapy team sat through the entire class with the student, who was uncomfortable being back in the Shelby Center. She said people relax when they touch the dogs.
"When you pet a dog, your blood pressure goes down, the heart rate decreases, the good feeling pheromones increase," Wiesman explained, "and so chemically your body changes. You feel better because you just touched this dog."
Katie worked a two-hour shift today, which is all the dogs were allowed to do.
"And, they take on some of the grief that the people are giving off, too," Gates said. "When I go home with her after she's had a visit where it's been a particularly sad day like today is, she will sleep usually all afternoon because she really takes it in. Takes the sadness in."
Katie will be back at UAHuntsville Tuesday, though, to do an important job in her quiet, unassuming way.
