Dogs are known for being man’s best friend, as they seemed to be involved in all aspects of their owners’ lives. One St. Bonaventure University student believed dogs could be a part of the college experience, as well.
Rachel Hoag, a sophomore biology major, grew up wanting dogs of her own. While in high school, she learned that she could become an official “puppy raiser” by raising puppies that would later move on to become service dogs. Soon after obtaining this information, she received her first puppy.
When she graduated from high school and began attending St. Bonaventure, she was aware that other schools had programs where service dogs would come on campus and spend time with students. She found out that there was no such program at St. Bonaventure, but rather than giving up, she got in touch with the Student Veterans of America on campus. She then made arrangements with New Hope Assistance Dogs, an agency in Warren, Pennsylvania, that allows people to become “puppy raisers,” in order to get programs like the ones she had heard about at other schools.
She said that one of her goals for the program is to raise awareness for New Hope. She feels that because it’s a small organization that’s doing such a great service, more people should be aware of it and that St. Bonaventure has given her an outlet to do so.
One way of doing this was to organize a volunteer trip last April to the New Hope agency, which is about an hour away. Hoag plans to organize three or four more trips for this semester. Another way she brought the program to St. Bonaventure was through the Paws on Campus event held during finals week.
“A lot of people came up to me and told me ‘I really needed that,’” said Hoag noticing a difference in mood on campus after the event.
Hoag is proud of the effects the program has had on campus. Even though only a handful of people signed up to visit New Hope for the last trip, it raised awareness, and that’s all that matters.
When talking about people coming up to her, she was visibly proud – smiling and even sitting more comfortably in her seat. She took pride even before the events on campus.
“People were coming up to me and asking me if I knew there would be dogs on campus,” she said. When faced with these questions, she’d respond, “Yeah, I did that.”
The program has given Hoag a new chance to be a leader. She said she joined “random clubs where you didn’t have to do anything” while in high school, but that right now a lot of the work for the service dogs from organizational and delegation standpoints is on her.
At last year’s interest meeting, many people showed up but left throughout the meeting because they were expecting dogs to be there, said Hoag. This year she plans to have dogs there, and hopes for a bigger turnout.
Volunteer trips aren’t the only things she has planned for this semester. She wants to organize more events where the dogs are allowed to come on campus for midterms and winter finals.
She also wants to set up a table during family weekend to collect donations and raise awareness for New Hope, since it is a non-profit organization.
She doesn’t want to stop there though.
“There’s a lot of things we need done. I’ve been told that I need a social media person and all these other positions filled, and right now it feels like a lot of the pressure is on me.”
The interest meeting will be next Tuesday. If anybody would like to contact Hoag about the program, you can email her at hoagrt17@bonaventure.edu.
By Noah Casillas
casilln18@bonaventure.edu
