Keren the Comfort Dog returns to campus

By NOAH PARKER
Tiger Media Network

Keren the Comfort Dog was back on campus this past Thursday. In the Union, just down the hall from Starbucks, Keren greeted students in an effort to help with midterm stress. She even had stickers students could put on their water bottles this time around.

“Our students at this time of year, midterms… they’re stressed out,” Mental Health Counselor Patrick McGinnis said.

Keren is part of the Lutheran Church Charities (LCC), a group dedicated to helping those in need, especially during a humanitarian crisis. She is part of their K-9 Ministries, which is made up of purebred Golden Retrievers and handlers trained to interact with those in need, including first responders. 

Keren herself is trained as part of three ministries and has a little card for each: a general comfort dog, the military ministry, and the police ministry.

“It’s [the LCC] an organization and they go out with storms or disaster shootings,” said on of Keren’s handlers Linda Rust.

Rust explained how, prior to the comfort dogs’ introduction, the LCC took themselves and whatever was needed to places like disaster locations, but felt like they weren’t able to help everyone the way they needed to.

“A lot of them have gone to so many different things, they’ve had dogs at Sandyhook years ago, Colorado has had some shootings, and they’ve been out there for those things,” she said. “It’s amazing what a dog can do that we can’t, and they don’t do anything but be there.”

This isn’t Keren’s first time on campus, and according to McGinnis, it won’t be the last, saying she’ll be back at the end of the semester.

“She attracts people,” he said. “Those who most need her comfort show up. They’re here and when they walk past it’s amazing the different demographics that melt when they see her… a dog does wonders.”

Many students stopped by, petted, and took pictures with Keren; one even brought a yoga mat she could sit and lay on instead of the tile floor. The pictures were printed straight out of the camera and given to those who wanted them. 

At one point, a long line formed of people waiting their turn, or just watching and smiling. Eventually, this line turned into a large group photo with Keren and her handlers.