When Zoe Hines ‘24 was asked to describe her college experience prior to her junior year she responded quickly with one word, “exhausting.” “I was looking forward to the college experience so much but I became more depressed and overwhelmed than I ever have before,” Hines said. “Going into sophomore year, I was constantly trying to find new ways to cope and motivate myself, but nothing was super effective. It became too much for me to handle and I knew I needed to find something new and specific for me.” After extensive research and discussion with family, friends, and counselors, they came up with a unique opinion: an emotional support dog.
At the end of her sophomore year, Hines made the plunge and got her dog, Bentley. “After sophomore year, I really wasn’t doing well mentally and I had tried really everything else,” Hines stated. “I love animals and knew that it would be helpful, but the responsibility was intimidating.” Hines brought Bentley to school for the first time at the beginning of her junior year. “I was so nervous. I didn’t know how people would react to him and even though he is a new dog, I wasn’t sure how well he was going to adjust to this college setting or if it would be the best thing for him.” Although the benefits of emotional support animals have been contested, research has suggested they can be especially helpful for college students because of the high-stress environment that surrounds them.
“I mean colleges know we’re stressed and always bring in therapy dogs, so it makes sense they would be super helpful on an individual level,” Hines said. A study done by the University of Main explored the use of therapy dogs on college campuses and demonstrated students who directly interacted with the dogs showed an uptick in mood, affirming the potential benefits of emotional support dogs. “When I walk him around campus I always have people coming up to me and saying hi. They always say that he [Bentley] has made their day better.”
Bringing a dog to Denison’s campus; however, is an extremely involved process. According to Denison’s policy, students who wish to bring emotional support animals to campus must first have a diagnosis from their healthcare provider, register with ARC, and meet with different committees, to name a few. “There was so much paperwork to fill out just for Denison to consider allowing him here. I have to agree to be liable for all damage he causes and there’s a really long list of rules and regulations to follow,” Hines said. “I have to be extremely aware and careful with our surroundings at all times, it’s really intimidating.”
Although the benefits of her emotional support dog far outweigh the drawbacks, Hines says that having a dog does have its difficulties. “Even though all my friends love Bentley, having people over in our apartment is always scary because there’s always the risk of people dropping stuff he could get or hurting him somehow,” Hines said. “It’s also hard to balance my class schedule and my Bentley schedule because he requires so much care.
Regardless, Hines says it is all worth it for the joy and benefits Bentley has brought her. “The things I have learned about responsibility with him have easily transferred to my schoolwork and classes, so he, in a way, has made me a better student,” Hines says. “Bentley has made me a better person, and I love him so much for that.”