UTA Finals Week Goes to the Dogs

Man's best friend becomes stressed student's best friend

University of Texas at Arlington students who are cramming for finals are turning to some four-legged friends for some stress relief.

Dog owners from the group Paws With Partners have spent the last week volunteering their dogs at the UTA library for students to stop by, relax, pet and play with the dogs.

"Studies have shown that interacting with a friendly animal for as little as five to 24 minutes can lower blood pressure, the heart rate, relax muscles, lower stress muscles in the blood," said UTA librarian Jody Bailey, who is overseeing the program.

More than 2,000 students have stopped by the library to visit the dogs.

"College, to a lot of people -- myself included -- seems like a big scary place. Any comfort you can get just helps," said Samuel Boulet, a sophomore who stopped by for about 20 minutes.

"Just, they don't expect anything from you," junior Tifiny Spiva said. "They're just like, 'Hey, you're here, and I'm here."

Paws With Partners dogs help comfort people in stressful situations everywhere from children's hospitals to courtrooms.

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