American International College’s mascot may be the Yellow Jacket, but somebody else is gradually becoming a familiar face around here.

If you’re around the Quad at AIC on Thursdays during C-hour (specifically around 11 a.m.), by this point in the school year you have probably seen or met Woodrow “Woody” Lash.

Woody is a six year-old Golden Retriever mix. He spent the first half of his life in Texas. He was picked up as a stray down there. Most Thursday mornings during C-hour, Woody’s handler – and two-legged family member – Candy Lash takes him out to play, mingle and meet with the AIC community.

“We can expand his office outdoor hours by request,” joked Lash, the college’s Senior Public Relations Specialist. Lash adopted Woody three years ago.

But Lash doesn’t bring Woody to AIC just to walk him around campus and make new friends. Woody is a Certified Pet Therapy Dog, so he happens to be an integral part of AIC.

Therapy animals are used in several different healthcare and educational settings, providing comfort, affection, stress relief and joy along the way. According to Lash, Woody is a proud member of Bright Spot Therapy Dogs, the organization in which Woody became a certified therapy dog this past summer. Therapy dogs and their handlers are trained as a team.

“Woody loved all of his training classes and he was very easy to train, in part, because he is very treat motivated which helps with training. Training classes also increase the human-animal bond,” Lash explained. “I found that our training classes helped him focus and develop a close relationship with me. Not only does he enjoy working for rewards [treats], he wants to please as well.”

Back in October, Woody made his debut at AIC with the Supportive Learning Services and Disability Services (across the street at 1020 State Street), where he accompanies and helps the students in the program. Woody is available for the students of the Supportive Learning Services and Disability Services on Tuesday afternoons and Thursday mornings. Woody also made his first visit on the main campus in mid-October at the AIC rebranding celebration.

When on campus on Thursday mornings during C-hour, you’re bound to run into Candy and Woody, who as AIC’s own therapy dog serves as the perfect remedy for students with mid-semester stress. If you don’t really need the “therapy,” dog lovers are of course welcome to stop and say hello to Candy and Woody.

When he’s not busy on campus, Woody shares an office with Candy, where Woody has his own recliner to sprawl out on.

“That’s his favorite chair, it belonged to my mother-in-law. In my past job with the humane society, Woody was at work with me every day.” Lash said. “Once he was certified as a therapy dog, I brought the chair to my office when he began coming to school.”

The presence and popularity of therapy animals on college campuses has increased over time. Lash says that the temperament of therapy dogs is their most important trait.

“Therapy animals come in all shapes and sizes. Their most important characteristic is not their species, breed or appearance, but their temperament,” Lash explained. “They’re friendly, patient, confident, gentle, and at ease with strangers.”

That’s right, therapy dogs are typically at ease with strangers. So the next time you see a happy Golden Retriever mix roaming around outside AIC with his owner, don’t mistake him wearing his blue vest as a service dog – go up and pet him… It’s actually encouraged, and it may help you blow off some steam!

For more information on the role and benefits of therapy dogs, you can visit http://www.bright-spot.org.