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Logan Bright and her service dog Deju seem to be a pretty common sight around campus
these days.
That's because Deja is part of the "4 Paws For Ability" program this graduating senior
brought to UK for one reason.
SOT "I wanted to show students community service can be fun."
Current students sign up to care for and train the dogsÉ
NAT "Good girlÉ"
So that ultimately these animals will become service dogs for children who need their assistance.
SOT "Each semester the more dogs we get the more dogs that are placed with children with
disabilities in the end, so it's really a great thing that UK has really embraced it
and weÕve been able to take these dogs in on campus."
Students say they also benefit from taking on the extra work.
SOT (Katie Beaven): "It's just made me a lot more responsible having to take care of him
all the time, it's a lot of work."
SOT (Bright): "Taking on a dog is an enormous task for any college student, cleaning them,
bathing them, we ask those trainers to be able to take them to most places that they
go to, they are required to fill out socialization reports about where they go, how the dog does."
All that time seems to lead to a deep attachment between the dogs and students.
NAT "He's adorableÉ"
But there's another unexpected benefit, according to Resident Assistants Cameron Tucker and
Caitlin Snyder, who together train Mellow in Blanding 4.
SOT (Cameron Tucker) "The residents talk about oh, I miss my dog, I miss my dog, every time
I go home, then they see Mellow in the hallway, so that's all we hear about, how much it makes
them feel like a family in the residence hall."
SOT (Caitlin Snyder) "I've noticed we have a lot of people who come in the dorms and
they are the kind of people who come in the lobby and don't stop and talk to anybody,
but ever since we got Mellow, we have residents who will stop and play with her and talk to
us, and it's been able to create great bonds and great friendships and get people to open
up."
But the real winners, according to Bright, are the children they're helping.
SOT (Bright) "It just makes my day to see a dog out helping a childÉit's amazing to
see how much they can really impact their lives."
That's why this early education major says the lessons she's learned leading this cause
will stick with her long after graduation.
SOT (Bright): "There's only so much you can learn in the classroom and with the service
dog program there's just so many different things you can take away from it, you learn
how helping out in the community and being a part of an organization like this can benefit
people out in the community so much."
A community these students and dogs will impact long after graduation.
For UK Now I'm Amy Jones.
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