Established in 2019 through a $3 million gift from Gerald B. Shreiber, the Shreiber Family Pet Therapy Program currently includes 28 active therapy dogs and 26 active therapy dog handlers.

Housed in the Wellness Center, the program offers group and individual therapy animal visits for students, faculty and staff. More than 8,000 individuals have utilized pet therapy services since 2019.

Partners in the program’s initiatives include Accessibility Services, the Center for Neurodiversity, Social Justice, Inclusion and Conflict Resolution, Military Services, Public Safety, and other Wellness Center programs, including Student Health Services, Healthy Campus Initiatives, and Emergency Medical Services.

The program regularly offers “PAWS for a Break” events for students to help with their stress levels.

Each year, the Shreiber Family Pet Therapy Program hosts the National Dog Show Therapy Dog Symposium, providing educational opportunities for those interested in and/or working in animal-assisted therapy. Altogether, over the past four years, the symposium has hosted more than 750 attendees.