In a bid to beat exam stress, students at a UK university are being offered a novel way to relax - for a small donation of £1.50 pounds they can cuddle a puppy in a dedicated ‘dog room’.
With exam season looming, those long days spent in the library or slaving over a computer will be starting to take their toll. But for students at the University of Central Lancashire, there’s a glimmer of hope. The university’s student union is setting up its first ever “puppy room” from this week, BBC reported.
It is teaming up with the charity Guide Dogs to try to help students de-stress by cuddling and playing with the animals. The move comes after research published in Japan suggested pictures of cute things like puppies or kittens could help improve concentration levels. It is also aimed at raising money for the charity.
On their Facebook page, organisers say they want to reassure students, the welfare of the puppies and safety of students are the “top priorities within this project.”
“The puppies will have regular breaks throughout the three hours and be with their handlers at all times,” they said. The union says a separate “chill out” room has also been set up for the puppies and the the number of students allowed into the room will be limited. “These opportunities give the puppies a chance to get used to being around people, which is great for their development and training to be a successful guide dog,” the union said.
