Eleven therapy dogs are coming back to comfort those on campus.

The Animal Assisted Crisis Response team will be at NIU Feb. 10-16 and will be visiting various spots during that time, including at events on Feb. 14.

Elizabeth Garcia, counselor for the Counseling and Student Development Center, said the organization is based on volunteers that provide comfort and emotional rescue for those in need of healing. The dogs came to visit last year in response to Feb. 14.

Garcia received positive feedback from students and faculty about the dogs, and how they wanted them to come back.
“The dogs provide a normalcy,” Garcia said. “Kids would hug and play with them, and it gave them a reason to laugh.”

Garcia said the dogs and the handlers go through training in stress management, first aid and CPR and counseling for those who experience a disaster.

AACR provided emotional support after Sept. 11, Hurricane Katrina and the Virginia Tech tragedy.
Some students here remember how helpful the dogs were in the healing process.

Sophomore accounting major Crystal Nieland said seeing the dogs was a different but fun experience for her.
“I thought they were helpful, and they were cute,” Nieland said.

History graduate student John Polemikos said he will make sure to find and meet a dog, since the dogs symbolize friendship for humans.
“I will pet them in a way to remember,” Polemikos said.

Garcia is looking forward to the dogs coming back to campus and is grateful that they were able to aid in NIU’s healing process.

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