Registration open for The National Dog Show Therapy Dog Symposium Nov. 19

In a first of its kind for Rowan, and possibly on the East Coast, the University will host The National Dog Show Therapy Dog Symposium Nov. 19 in conjunction with the annual Kennel Club of Philadelphia’s National Dog Show.

The program, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Chamberlain Student Center Ballroom, will be a forum for therapy dog practitioners, advocates and aspirants from the Mid-Atlantic Region as well as for members of the veterinary community to share information and develop therapy dog best practices.

The program takes place 12 days after the launch of the Shreiber Family Pet Therapy Program of Rowan University, an innovative new initiative funded through a $3 million gift this summer by Gerald Shreiber, CEO of J&J Snack Foods Corp. of Pennsauken.

Shreiber, a lifelong pet lover and one of the symposium’s featured speakers, believes that therapy dogs can be especially valuable as a stress reliever for college students and studies have shown that he’s right: simply being around a dog for a short period of time can reduce anxiety, increase confidence and may help lower blood pressure.

In fact, the world-renowned Mayo Clinic reports that pet therapy can benefit people receiving cancer treatment, those in long-term care facilities, patients with cardiovascular diseases and dementia, even veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.

The National Dog Show Therapy Dog Symposium is a joint venture between the National Dog Show and Rowan University. David Frei, a longtime therapy dog advocate and co-host of the National Dog Show on NBC, and Michele Pich, assistant director of Rowan’s Shreiber Family Pet Therapy Program, organized the program and will be featured speakers. Pich and Frei are also members of the National Dog Show Therapy Dog Ambassador Team.

For questions about the symposium, email pich@rowan.edu.

Registration for the symposium is $35 and includes breakfast, lunch, and information sessions. Register today!