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Each year, 15 lucky dogs get a student guardian who makes sure all their needs are met, from daily walks and healthy meals to much-needed baby cuddle time.
At UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, students get a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and it’s not just studying at the most prestigious school of veterinary science in the world. Veterinarians can make money doing something most animal lovers consider their dream job: taking care of shelter pups.
The Canine Improvement Program, as the university’s initiative is called, allows students to learn more about man’s best friend straight from the source (boxes are useful) and gives homeless dogs a greater chance of getting a home for gamers. The dog-campus teaching process, often referred to as “colony dogs,” is completely non-invasive. The primary duty of the four assistants is to attend lab classes and help motivated students learn more about animal handling, how to do ultrasounds and x-rays, or perform a behavioral examination. In no way are dogs exploited or stressed!
In fact, this spoiled Buddhist lives on campus. As students and professors tell The California Aggie, their first priority is the well-being of their classmates. The dogs live in different areas of the campus to suit their needs and are cared for by a team of animal health technicians in Gorley. And, of course, their guardian is the designated student, or, as they call it, the disgraceful enrichment.
The fifteen dogs selected from the shelter each year are chosen for their temperament and behavioral estimation that they would thrive in this type of environment. Then, each of those kids gets paired with a student who matches their personality, for example, enthusiastic dogs get fitness enthusiasts and outdoorsy types, while couch potatoes are matched with arm-in-arms, Netflix-binging students, I guess? Either way, the school’s priority is to make sure the dogs are well looked after and happy with their walkers, and all matches to date have been a success.
After their year on campus is over, Colony dogs are put up for adoption: the socialization, veterinary care, and skills they pick up during the process greatly improve their chances of finding a well-off family. Students get priority adoption, given the extensive matching process and time they spend together, they often end up being the ones to adopt their Colonial Dog.
So, in short: Not only do students chosen to take care of a dog chosen as a furry soulmate, they usually end up getting a best friend for life once the program ends. And they say you can’t have your cake and eat it too!
