About Boynton Health's PAWS
PAWS is a safe, welcoming, and fun setting that is open and FREE to everyone in the University of Minnesota community. Students are invited to attend PAWS as often as possible throughout the school year to take a break and interact with the animals, their handlers, and other attendees.
PAWS sessions are not open to research or evaluation groups that collect data, conduct surveys, or gather information. Please respect PAWS' primary purpose of supporting student well-being. For media or journalism inquiries, please direct your requests to [email protected].
Volunteer in PAWS
PAWS always has openings for new human-animal teams! Currently, there are close to 100 registered teams that volunteer in the PAWS program. There is a large need for animals in addition to dogs, such as cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, miniature horses/donkeys, and other domestic pets. All species and breeds are welcome to join PAWS if the team is registered with Canine Inspired Change (CIC), Pet Partners, TDI, ITA, or the Alliance of Therapy Dogs (or in training and working toward registration).
To learn more, you are invited to attend a PAWS program overview and orientation. These sessions are held on demand immediately after any weekly PAWS sessions (see the PAWS calendar).
Please RSVP for this training; additional details regarding parking and location on campus will be sent to you before the orientation.
Schedule a PAWS+ session with your group!
PAWS+ sessions are special events with the PAWS program to support the mental health of students, staff, and faculty or community events. PAWS+ sessions are available for 1-2 hours between 9 A.M. and 8 P.M., Monday through Thursday. Fridays and weekend events may only be scheduled on a case-by-case basis. PAWS+ sessions are unavailable when the University of Minnesota is closed for holidays, at the same time, or within 1 hour of the start/stop time of weekly PAWS sessions (see the PAWS calendar).
PAWS+ requests are handled on a first-come, first-served basis and are not a confirmation. PAWS+ requests must be received at least 10 days before your scheduled event, and sessions are charged at $150/hour.
Please fill out the PAWS+ request form for summer 2025 and beyond. Thank you!
Donate to the PAWS Fund
Your financial gift to PAWS—in any amount—helps ensure that PAWS human-animal teams will continue to consistently provide students with important mental health awareness and de-stressing opportunities. Thank you for your support!
Frequent Questions
When did Boynton Health's PAWS begin?
PAWS held its first session on November 13, 2013, and has expanded from once a week to four days a week during the academic year and twice a month in the summer.
What makes Boynton Health's PAWS animals special?
All animals in the PAWS program are “registered therapy animals”, which means they, along with their human partner, have completed training, testing, and in-person evaluation to work in public settings, like the University, and support human well-being. Please note that while PAWS human-animal teams are referred to as registered “therapy animal teams”, PAWS sessions are not therapy sessions and PAWS animals are not service animals or emotional support animals (ESAs).
Still have questions?
Contact Tanya Bailey, PhD, LICSW, Boynton Health's PAWS Manager, at [email protected].