International Pet Day
News
BSU marks international Pet Day 2025
Friday, 11 April, 2025Bath Spa University is marking International Pet Day by celebrating the positive impact pets have on our day-to-day lives.
Owning a pet is proven to have significant impacts on our mental and physical health — from improving symptoms of depression and anxiety to helping owners develop a more active lifestyle and even lowering blood pressure and cholesterol.
BSU recognises the benefits of integrating animals into the everyday lives of students and staff. In 2020, a pilot pet therapy scheme was launched that invited colleagues to enrol their dogs in a programme to become accredited Care Dogs.
Launched in partnership with the charity Canine Concern, the Student Wellbeing Services scheme has attracted pet pals from departments across the University, helping thousands of students by offering ‘meet and walk’ sessions across the campuses and making special appearances at events.
The positive impact of owning an animal is felt throughout BSU, especially by Senior Lecturer in LLB Law, Anne Herbert, who is the proud owner of Rafa, an assistance dog who has become something of a ‘campus rockstar. ’
Talking about Rafa’s role on campus, Anne said:
“Rafa isn’t part of the Care Dog Scheme because he’s a registered assistance dog. Though, since he’s trained to interact with people as part of the work he does for me, he does enjoy the attention, and the cuddles he gets from students in seminars.”
The goldendoodle labradoodle cross has become essential to Anne’s health and welfare, allowing her to go about her work at the University whilst feeling safe and supported.
Discussing how BSU has supported her and Rafa, Anne said:
“All of my colleagues are incredibly supportive and welcoming to Rafa and me as a team, creating a comfortable environment for me to discuss my concerns and needs as a physically disabled person. Rafa is definitely part of the Business Law team.”
At age 15, Anne was diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos syndrome, a group of rare inherited conditions affecting connective tissue, which meant the slightest fall could be catastrophic.
Despite her doctor’s insistence that she would spend the rest of her life using walking sticks to move around, Anne felt they were barking up the wrong tree. She began to consider the alternatives, looking into the possibility of an assistance dog who, with the right training, could offer her life-changing, lifesaving support.
That’s when she met Rafa — a dog large enough to hold her up but gentle enough to become the loving companion she was searching for.
Rafa changed everything. After enrolling on a disability assistance programme, the pair graduated as a successful partnership, with Rafa learning how to fetch Anne her phone, the TV remote, and even helping take her shoes and socks off. Anne said:
"Now when I'm walking with him it's as if my brain feels there's an extra body part on the ground, and it's reopened my sensory and motor pathways.
"It's really been such a positive experience for my self-esteem and my mental health as I can continue to be independent.”
Find out more about the important role animals play at BSU and meet the University’s canine companions on the Care Dogs webpage.