The last week of class before finals is typically full of studying, worrying and stress for students so Simpson has organized the Doggies at Dunn event for students to forget about all that for a moment. The event will be held in Great Hall this year due to the ongoing renovations at Dunn Library. Students will be able to pet and play with the dogs Dec. 9 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

College librarian and archivist at Simpson, Cyd Dyer, started the event years ago. She connected with Paws and Effect in 2016, a company that raises, trains and places dogs with children and veterans with disabilities. “We’ve been doing it since 2016, and it has been great. We’ve had hundreds of students come through each time we did it,” Dyer said. 

Dyer also mentioned that this event is part of the training for the dogs because they need to learn to be comfortable around large groups of people. “Having places like this to go to is part of their mission,” Dyer said. The event helps not only students but also the dogs in training. 

Students should expect an exciting environment. “It’s something different, it’s something fun, it’s a walk-in and walk-out event, so it’s nothing students have to stay the whole time for,” Dyer said. 

One year the group of dogs got sick before visiting Simpson and a student reached out to Dyer and said, “you don’t know how much this affected me that you canceled the event.” So, this event can mean a lot and help students as they face the pressures of finals. 

Popcorn and coloring sheets will be provided during the event for people to enjoy while hanging out or waiting for dogs to play with. Dyer hopes students will be able to have fun and relax after a long week of preparation for finals. 

She has noticed that over the years, more students have been bringing emotional support animals, so it’s clear that animals can provide students with a means for coping with college and life. Other colleges have also recently followed suit and started their own dog events on campuses in the Des Moines area.  

Students will be able to stop in on Friday to get their time with the doggies. Paws and Effect is a volunteer organization, so details about how many dogs and what kinds are coming won’t be available until the day of.