Mac partners with SPCA for therapy dog

Students at McMaster University aren’t the only ones training hard for their futures. There’s also a friendly border collie who’s being put through his paces.

One-year old “scout” is being trained to become a therapy dog to eventually serve the school of social sciences. A partnership between the university and the Hamilton-Burlington SPCA is making it all possible. Scout may need to learn to let go of his own leash but his friendly disposition makes him an ideal candidate to one day visit with stressed out students. And with this being the school of social sciences — there’s also a little homework going on.

James Gillett, McMaster University Professor of Sociology: “Well this is also a project where we’re doing a little bit of research trying to understand the relationship humans and animals. And so we know a little bit about the human animal bond. There’s a long historical connection between humans and animals and dogs and other domesticated animals. And so part of what we’re trying to understand is the nature of that relationship. Why it is that dogs help people de-stress.”

When Scout completes his training, he’ll be visiting the school of social science bi-weekly for anyone who wants to drop by for a visit.