Toronto Programs

Barnaby the therapy dog helps York University students de-stress

Final exams, projects and presentations pile up this week for post-secondary students. To help them unwind during exam time, York University now has a therapy dog on campus.

The border collie has grown up on campus where his owner is a staff member

Barnaby is a three-year-old border collie who is York University's in-house therapy dog.

York University now has it's very own therapy dog to help students unwind as they enter the last stretch of their year-end semester and get ready to face final exams, projects and presentations,

Barnaby, a border collie turning three years old this summer, trots around on campus to cure the woes of stressed out university students. 
Barnaby the therapy dog is a hit among students and staff at York University. (Twitter)

His owner, Tammy Douglas, works at the university as a residence coordinator. She's had him since he was a puppy.

"He loves meeting new people on campus. That's one of his favourite things to do," Douglas said. "When I say, 'Do you want to go say hi?' he gets really excited."

Barnaby has grown up on campus and is already popular among students and staff, many of whom say petting him is a great way to relieve stress. 

Douglas says Barnaby began the process after one of her colleagues suggested York University get its very own in-house therapy dog.  

'We thought he'd be a good candidate, Douglas said.

"He's my own personal therapy dog, too. He seems to know when you're having an off day and he's extra attentive."