When those fluff balls wearing little maroon service vests come down the hallway, they draw attention like celebrities on a red carpet. The furry friends are part of Pets Assisting with Student Success (PAWSS), a MacEwan program designed to help students, staff and faculty relieve stress through interactions with animals. But how effective is the program, really?

It’s a question Dr. Anna Rissanen has been working to answer. The assistant professor in the Department of Allied Health and Human Performance set out to examine what services were being offered to support student well-being, aside from standard counselling, which led her to PAWSS.

“We know that student mental health declines during post-secondary,” Dr. Rissanen explains. “But from the holistic perspective, there are many things that we can do to promote access to low-barrier wellness services and groups that facilitate mental wellbeing. We know from research that challenges with mental health and wellbeing can be helped by having supportive and positive social interactions and taking on rewarding activities. Also, those who might live with trauma-related challenges, such as being triggered in a school environment, can benefit from quick access to low-barrier services. Thus, PAWSS is a great example of a low barrier access service that provides a safe haven during the busy days of attending school.”

She approached Andrea Chute, PAWSS director, with her goals for researching animal-assisted intervention (AAI). When Chute agreed, Dr. Rissanen also hired two student research assistants to help create and execute her research plan.

“We had a lot of success with the survey, which I really enjoyed promoting and observing results from,” says second-year Bachelor of Science student and research assistant Abby Oloriz. 

Dr. Rissanen says that survey participants reported decreased anxiety and daily stress after participating in PAWSS events. They also stated that it wasn’t just interactions with animals that brightened their outlook, but also meeting new peers and socializing with them. Many reported that they rely on PAWSS program regularly, and that they experience stress reduction after the sessions. Such regular stress and anxiety relief maintains good mental health according to Dr Rissanen. Survey respondents also encourage more advertisements so that more students can experience the benefits, as the program is still fairly unknown on campus according to participants. 

“I enjoyed seeing how impactful it is for students, especially those who are far from home and missing their pet,” says research assistant and fourth-year Bachelor of Science student Payden Bialowas. “The slightest interaction can change their day, and they leave happier than when they came.”

The students were also able to present their work at Student Research Day in April, which Chute says has helped to spread awareness about what PAWSS can do.

“Getting the word out that we're not just bringing our dogs to campus, but are actually helping students from a mental health perspective is really helpful,” she says. “We want to promote AAI any way we can.”

Dr. Rissanen and Chute hope to continue the partnership now that initial results have come in, and possibly even expand the research to some of the off-campus locations where PAWSS operates. But for the moment, Dr. Rissanen is hoping her research will help the program to get more attention, and attract those who may benefit from it most.

“I appreciate the opportunity to hear from people and expand the PAWSS reputation, and to facilitate low-barrier access for those who find benefits in interacting with the animals,” says Dr. Rissanen. “Sometimes these interdisciplinary applied-health services might not get support, so making sure that people know about it is my biggest reward.”