Pet therapy is coming back to Scranton! The biannual Pet Therapy: Canines on Campus event will take place on Sept. 29 between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. for the fall 2026 semester, according to a University of Scranton Center for Service andSocial Justice Facebook post.

Hosted on the Dionne Green, this event is popular and is typically characterized by joyful Royals and playful pups enjoying some time together outdoors. It allows students to interact with dogs in a playful way to de-stress as the semester intensifies.

As midterms rapidly approach, it is important that Royals know about the opportunities the university offers to relax such as pet therapy. The Jesuit ideal Cura Personalis, which is Latin for care for the whole person, encourages and reminds students to care for themselves! Pat Vaccaro, the director of CSSJ, said that pet therapy originated over two decades ago at the university. “Many students miss their pets at home during the semester,” Vaccaro said.

She continued “students can use [pet therapy] to de-stress.” Ellen Judge, the outreach program coordinator for CSSJ, has spent 20 years coordinating the pet therapy event here at Scranton. Judge explained that the event was started in 2003 by a nursing professor. Judge took over the event with CSSJ a few years later. She said that there are generally 40 to 55 dogs that participate in the event, and that number is a mix between actual therapy dogs and other canine participants.

“Normally we have anywhere from 800 to 1,200 guests in the hour and a half that we’re running this [event],” Judge explained. The attendance represents a significant portion of the campus community. Judge said that “it definitely is a great stress reliever for students. Especially [when] you haven’t been home with your own pets.” She continued, “it is a very good community event.” According to Olivia Zrebiec ‘28, “Pet therapy is so much more than an event for students to de-stress and relax. It’s an event that brings the entire campus community together.”

Beyond faculty and staff members bringing their dogs to campus, students can have fun while learning about different campus opportunities, Zrebiec explained. “Last semester, I had the opportunity to run a table for myCommunity-Based Learning project focused on pre-veterinary care. I was able to share educational resources and connect with members of the campus community," Zrebiec reflected.  

John Peters ’27, who said he has attended pet therapy numerous times while at Scranton, shares this pleasant sentiment on the event. “The CSSJ pet therapy event is a great way to get outside and interact with your peers in the best way possible, which is playing with so many adorable dogs. It is definitely a nice event to look forward to each semester,” Peters said.

Peters added that “it really is a great way to unwind during the school year.” He also explained that his black Labrador retriever, Acorn, has participated in the event. Peters said that his dog enjoys socializing at the event and “definitely recommends other students bring their dogs.”The university’s website describes canine participation as being open to “University of Scranton staff or faculty, alumni, students or parents of a current student of The University of Scranton,” with “a dog that is fully vaccinated (including kennel cough), gets along well with large crowds of people and other dogs.”

CSSJ encourages participation on the Scranton website stating if “you have the time available, we would love to have you!”  The page also makes note of the fact that all dogs must be leashed and within the fenced-off area. Visitors are limited to current University of Scranton students and employees, and royal cards will be scanned of signed waivers, according to the same website posting.

“I love that faculty and staff are willing to bring their pets and share their personal lives with the students.  I love seeing how excited the students get when they see the variety of dogs. The whole vibe of the day is exciting,” said Vaccaro.

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