BHCC Welcomes Wiley the Comfort Dog to Campus
Tuesday, September 24, 2024
College Police Department to Introduce Newest Member of the Community This Fall
Free community college has brought more than a thousand new students to Bunker Hill Community College this fall, but one new face on campus will have a very special role: meet Wiley, BHCC’s Comfort Dog.
Wiley is an eight-week-old AKC English Cream Golden Retriever, and while he won’t be taking classes or studying in the library, he will be on campus most days, walking the halls and providing his unique services to students, faculty and staff.
Comfort dogs are a growing part of community life at colleges and universities nationwide and represent an important connection for public safety offices and police departments to strengthen community relationships. Specifically trained to be calming and comforting in any environment and with every person they interact with, these dogs receive special training and can provide support to any member of the College community in critical situations such as mental health crises or victim/witness support, and in situations supporting general community wellness such as gatherings, athletic events, and presence in community spaces.
“The Bunker Hill Community College Police Department is excited to introduce Wiley to our community,” said BHCC Police Chief Robert Barrows. “A comfort dog is not only a friendly face and reassuring presence on our campus, but our hope is also that Wiley can be a source of community spirit and wellbeing for everyone in our community.”
When he starts work at BHCC this fall, Wiley will begin training with Golden Opportunities for independence in Walpole. It is the department’s goal for Wiley to become fully trained and licensed as a therapy dog.
Wiley’s caretaker and supervisor in the BHCC Police Department is Officer Alexandria Love, who first proposed the Comfort Dog program earlier this year. Officer Love will accompany Wiley during his duties on campus and care for him when off-duty as well.
“College can be stressful. It brings new environments, tough commutes, difficult schedules, and intense workloads. Comfort dogs can bring a smile and a sense of calm to students balancing these difficulties along with anxiety, loneliness, and trauma,” said Officer Love. “I strongly believe that the overall mental and emotional well-being of our community will improve with the comfort dog in our department, and in times of crisis, when a community member needs comfort, mental health assistance, and guidance, having the presence of a friendly comfort dog can turn a negative and potentially volatile situation into a positive and reassuring interaction.”
The mental and physical health benefits of comfort dogs are well-documented. Comfort dogs are found to reduce isolation and loneliness, calm agitation, and encourage participation in physical and psychological activities. Physically, interaction with comfort dogs has been shown to lower blood pressure and heart rate, reduce cortisol and other stress hormones, and diminish overall physical pain.
Locally, several other college police departments have incorporated comfort dogs into their communities, including UMass Boston, Boston University, Northeastern University, Northern Essex Community College and Quinsigamond Community College, among others.
Wiley will be officially joining the BHCC community on September 30 and will be working on both the Charlestown and Chelsea Campuses, predominantly in the afternoons and evenings as his service begins—you can look for him at athletic events, in Student Central, at the Student Counseling and Wellness Center, and in other community spaces. Stay tuned for more details on events and opportunities to meet Wiley!