Not all therapists dress the same, look the same, or even speak the same. For some, a simple bark is all they need.
“That dog doesn’t have problems, I do.”
Charlotte Ferrell bought Pablo three weeks before her world changed.
“Right after my mom died I didn’t get out of bed for like five days, once I got back to school It was really hard for me to get in a routine get in a system.”
Pablo has been the best roommate she could have asked for.
But for Ferrell, Pablo wasn’t just any ordinary dog.
“It gets met out of bed in the morning, when I don’t feel like getting up, I have to get up for him, I have to take him out at night. I have to take care of something. It gets me going I guess.”
And that is exactly why professionals encourage emotional support dogs for college students who are depressed or stressed.
CERTA PET says, “When people have mental disabilities it helps having a companion to cope with their mental state. Having to take care of an emotional support dog helps them get up and do things.”
“Just knowing that I can come home and take her for a walk honestly is the highlight of my day,” Lexi Merison says.
DAAS says all service animals are allowed on campus as long as they are trained and the owner gets approval.
For Ferrell and Merison, that’s a small ask.
