On April 19th, Villanova welcomed a new member to the community. Taffy, a two-year-old, female, yellow Labrador Golden Retriever from Michigan was sworn into the Public Safety team. Not only is Taffy adorable, but I believe she is just what we need on campus.

Taffy’s duties on campus will not only be looking adorable as she walks around, but being a full-functioning therapy dog. She specializes in social interaction, recovery, motivation, comfort and providing an overall feeling of safety. 

As someone who often attends the pet therapy offered at Villanova, I can attest that interacting with dogs is always a stress reliever. I think Taffy is a wonderful addition to campus to provide comfort during the stressful moments of college. What’s more, this is a perfect time for her to come here, with the high tensions of finals week and the end of the school year right around the corner.

I am not the only one excited about Taffy’s arrival. At the swearing-in ceremony, there were dozens of students and faculty there for the special event, enjoying cupcakes and smiling at the adorable Taffy. 

Freshman Bennett Hemphill shared his thoughts on Taffy coming to campus. 

“I am so excited,” Hemphill said. “She is the cutest dog ever. Taffy will inspire us all for years to come.”

According to the Alliance of Therapy Dogs organization, therapy dogs are a great tool to brighten someone’s day and provide a much-needed distraction. As such, if Villanova students are having a bad day, Taffy will be an accessible and easy way to lift their spirits. 

I have two dogs at home, and I am sure many students on this campus have dogs at home, as well. Without our dogs here, it will be nice to see a familiar animal walking around Villanova and know her sole purpose is to give attention and make us feel better.

Sophomore Lila Trollip also expressed her excitement about Taffy being sworn-in. 

“The campus really needs this,” Trollip said. “It’s just an event that brings us together after a long semester.” 

Students at Villanova are feeling the pressure of classes as finals loom, so this has been a nice addition to our typical day-to-day.

It’s also important to note that this move to bring Taffy to campus is a step in the right direction for Villanova’s care for students’ mental health, as sophomore Pepper Ritchey suggested. 

“I think Taffy’s presence is an advancement in showing how Villanova cares for students’ social and emotional well-being,” Ritchey said. “I don’t know many other colleges who would have a swearing-in ceremony for a therapy dog, but I love that Villanova’s community welcomed her in that way.”

Not only is Taffy very cute, but I am sure she will also be providing a lot of comfort to students for years to come at Villanova. Many Villanovans are looking forward to seeing her roaming around campus.