Dogs help students de-stress before finals at LTCC

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It wasn't your normal evening in the library at Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) on Thursday. There was no librarian with the proverbial "shhhh." There was no quiet spot to study, and there was a table full of food and a lounge full of dogs.

Yes, dogs.

The volunteers from Lake Tahoe Humane Society who take their therapy dogs to Barton Health's Skilled Nursing Facility five days a week brought their dogs to the library as part of the school's quarterly De-Stress Night.

Raz, Sadie, Bella, Lucy and Maggie were hanging out on the carpet, there for students to pet and cuddle as well as being on the receiving end of a good belly scratch.

A growing number of colleges across the country offer pet therapy programs that bring registered therapy dogs to students who need a break from the pressures of school, especially right before finals.

Lorna Lefler, the Humane Society's Board President, and her husband Gary brought their two rescue dogs, Sadie and Bella. They were joined by Lori Buchan with Raz, Jennifer McCrea with Lucy and Carol McInnes with Maggie.

Along with the pet therapy, the LTCC De-Stress Night had silent disco head phones for the students, a giant Jenga, videos and Karaoke.

Finals start next week, but Thursday was all about fun and relaxation.