Like most universities, Virginia Tech’s College of Veterinary Medicine celebrated the class of 2020 with an online commencement ceremony. But unlike other schools, they included one very good boy in the graduating class: a dog named Moose.
The Labrador retriever, an 8-year-old therapy dog at the Cook Counseling Center, received an honorary doctorate in veterinary medicine on Friday.
Moose, who has been with Virginia Tech since 2014, is one of the school’s four therapy animals and ambassadors for mental health awareness.
Along with attending football games, club events, and new student orientations, Moose also helps students cope with anxiety, trauma and other mental health issues. The fluffy pup has helped thousands of students and assisted in more than 7,500 counseling sessions, according to his owner, licensed counselor Trent Davis
Davis, who has worked at the Cook Counseling Center for 10 years, launched the school’s animal-assisted therapy program to provide students with another form of comfort.
“Some humans haven’t had the best experience with other humans, or even other dogs. In both those cases, Moose provides a very safe and comforting force in the room,” Davis told CNN.
“These students see Moose as someone who’s going to accept them. They don’t worry about him judging them.”
source cnn.com
