From the pressure of difficult coursework, to living away from home for the first time, to financial worries and more, college students face many challenges that can have a lasting impact—not only on their mental and physical well-being but also on their academic success.

Pet Away Worry and Stress (PAWS) is one of the University of Minnesota’s most beloved health promotion programs. PAWS operates four days a week during the academic year and twice monthly in the summer on the Twin Cities campus, bringing registered therapy animals and their trained human handlers to the campus community. (Similar animal-assisted interaction programs are available on the Duluth, Crookston, Morris, and Rochester campuses, too.)

Nearly 100 volunteer animal-human teams participate in the PAWS program, offering comfort and connection through interactions with dogs, cats, rabbits, chickens, and more. Students and University community members are invited to drop in, relax, and recharge in a low-pressure, judgment-free space.  

And with one-fourth of students reporting frequent mental distress in the past 30 days, supporting student well-being is a University of Minnesota priority.

Thanks to generous philanthropic support, grants, and student service fees, PAWS remains free and open to all—and a simple but powerful way to reduce stress, support mental health, and remind students they’re not alone. Alumni and the broader community can support the PAWS program in various ways, including by getting involved with their own animals.

Learn more about PAWS or make a gift to support the program.

Photos by Brady Willette