So, on East Carolina University campus, I saw this sign announcing the opportunity to pet a therapy animal:

Well, of course I did! I had a stressful day ahead, as did most of the students, faculty and staff around me. That’s why this unexpected opportunity to pet a dog was so delightful!

And even though the therapy dog looked a little tired or maybe really relaxed itself from all the petting by the time I came across him, it was still fun to pet him. And I wasn’t alone. A student who had been petting him came running back, saying, “I just don’t want to leave.”  This is the first week of ECU’s Spring semester, so it definitely makes sense to bring in some moral support in the form of a furry friend. In the past ECU has also had therapy dogs that can be petted in the library during high stress times, such as final exams, as can be seen in this report from WITN TV news.