Ricardo Guevara, Haley Helton and Molly Austin visit Ollie on campus.
Putting smiles on students’ faces is all in a day’s work for Ollivander “Ollie” Aloysius Smith, a 5-year-old rough collie. Ollie is a therapy dog who works with the University of Central Arkansas athletic training staff.
Aaron Smith, a clinical instructor and lecturer in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science, is his owner and primary handler. Smith knew a therapy dog would be beneficial to student athletes.
“Whenever I brought up the idea of getting a therapy dog, I had so much support,” Smith said. “Obviously mental health is a huge component in student wellness, and it was nice to be able to implement this program.”
He is the first known therapy dog being used in collegiate athletics in the state of Arkansas. Since joining UCA in 2017, students can count on seeing Ollie regularly around the athletic training clinics and with students to aid as a destresser. While he works primarily with student-athletes, Ollie occasionally makes his way to other areas on campus. Students Ricardo Guevara, Haley Helton and Molly Austin spent part of the morning on Feb. 22 visiting with Ollie at the Amphitheater.
“It was refreshing to have a break from my regular routine,” said Helton, a junior creative writing major in the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. “I was a little stressed out this morning, but now I feel really good and happy. This was a good start to my day and I am super thankful I got to meet him.”
Ollie with students Haley Helton and Molly Austin
“This has been really fun to relax and just be able to pet Ollie,” said Guevara, a senior health services administration major.
Austin, a sophomore working toward her Bachelor’s of Business Administration in the logistics and supply chain management program, said meeting Ollie brightened her mood right before she was to start her day’s classes.
Ollie became certified with Therapy Dogs International in 2019. He also took and passed the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen test.
