Community Service Office Plans to Bring Dogs to Campus

photo: Stephanie Manning

by: Jeff Payne
edited by: Nalina Shapiro

Next week students may get the chance to hang with a hound dog when the Community Service Office plans to hold their first ever animal week depending on insurance policies.

Animal week will be a way to teach students about the over population of animals in the US. The community service office has a variety of events planned for the week but the biggest event will be the rent-a-dog. This will give students the chance to donate a dollar and get the chance to walk a dog around set trails on campus.

However the community service office has been having trouble getting the all clear to be able to have the dogs on campus. Junior Stephanie Manning who is in charge of animal week had to find out who could give the okay to have animals on campus. “No one really knew who could allow animals on campus. Everyone had something to say but didn’t know if they could give permission,” said Manning.

Manning ended up going to eight different administrators across campus trying to find out how she could make this event a reality. “Typically the event would be brought to a Vice President for initial approval, and if necessary, shared with the rest of senior staff.  However, what is most important is that the right offices be advised and consulted, i.e. risk management, and facilities,” said Jim Earle, Vice President of Student Affairs.

“At the moment we’re cleared depending on insurance,” said Manning.

Manning came up with the idea for animal week after the Hunger Banquet during the fall semester. “I realized that maybe we could do the same things and teach students about animals. It ended up turning into a week-long event,” said Manning.

The entire community service office has come together to work on this project. “This is only the second time we’ve worked as a staff on a single project of this scope,” said Assistant Director of Community Service Marabeth Farmer.

All of the community service staff members are pitching in on different aspects for the week. “Each of us have a different day that we are helping out with,” said senior Kaitlyn Driggs.

The Animal Week will consist of a different activity each day. Activities include euthanasia and adoption statistics, voting on student pet photos, a lecture called “Clifford the Big Dead Dog,” and the rent-a-dog event.

Students and administrators alike are looking forward to this event. “I have a lot of love for animals, and hate to see how they are so frequently and casually mistreated.  Educating people about this type of mistreatment has great value; It is a starting place,” said Earle.

If the new event is a success the community service office may try more week long programs. “I think it could come back or it come back with a different focus. It could be another week-long event with a focus on something other than animals or maybe other kinds of animals,” said Farmer.

Any questions about the event can be sent to Stephanie Manning at mannings@franklinpierce.edu.