As the weather gets warmer, it's hard to not go outside for a walk, especially with our furry friends.

On our campus, and many others, dogs are limited to where they can go on campus. Western is not the only University with these policies, although they are reasonable policies, I feel they need to be revisited and slightly loosened.

I, myself, find my mood uplifted when I get to play with or interact with a dog being walked on campus. But what happens when they need water or you need to use the restroom? They cannot be tethered outside, nor should they be. You can't leave them in the car because the weather is becoming too warm. Dogs should be allowed in the buildings at least for small amounts of time if they are well behaved.

"Results indicated that those who directly interacted with the dog reported increases in positive mood."

Those of us who have visited the emotional support dogs that come to our library, understand how much being able to interact with the service animals reduce our anxiety prior to and after finals week. That isn't the only time students are stressed out about academics or life, so why is it the only time we get to regularly interact with dogs?

Professors are allowed to bring their dogs to class with the approval of their students, why can't students be given that same possibility throughout campus buildings? As long as the dogs are not being disruptive or brought into food establishments such as the commons/cafeterias, what harm are they doing?

The University clearly states the dog must be under control, as long as they are, there is nothing wrong with bringing them into a building and even allowing them to interact with other students. I feel once dogs are accepted into buildings, for appropriate reasons, the overall vibe of campus will become more positive. Students will interact with each other more often and anxiety will be reduced.

Psychology today reported this after a study they conducted, "They felt less homesick, less stressed out, and more connected to the campus community." If not our own dogs, then more volunteer programs that bring in service dogs should be implemented for all parts of the quarter, not just finals. Also for multiple places on campus other than the library.

College is difficult, we need to use whatever tools we have to lessen the stress of being an adult. Who better to use than our four-legged family members?