Will’s favorite food is the bananas he gets in his breakfast sometimes - which he likes better than the blueberries he’ll get other times. Leo loves herding sheep and ducks in his free time, and Koski loves peanut butter and sniffing around the Leonard Center. Koski, Leo, Will and Bubba are the other four dogs.
Kevin was named by Walters’ kids after the rainbow bird in the movie, “Up.” Kevin’s favorite treats are jelly toast and empty yogurt containers. Kevin is Walters’ seven years old golden retriever who is the original PAWS dog. They all love coming to campus and are ready to receive pets and hang out with students when they are around. The dogs are Kevin, Will, Bubba, Koski and Leo. Now, PAWS has expanded the program to five dogs that are on campus at least three days a week. Walters proposed a pilot program in the 2015-2016 school year to bring her golden retriever, Kevin, to campus twice a week. Steph Walters, director of medical at the Laurie Hamre Center for Health and Wellness. “ aims to bring therapy dogs and stress relief to campus,” Brooke Offenhauser ’21, the student coordinator for PAWS, said. PAWS aims to reduce the stress of Macalester students and brighten their days by bringing trained therapy dogs to campus. “Pet Away Worry and Stress” - what could be better? This is the goal of Macalester’s therapy dog program, (PAWS).
