Therapy Dogs Bring Comfort to Utah Valley University Students

In the wake of a tragic event at Utah Valley University (UVU), therapy dogs brought warmth and emotional relief to a grieving campus. Following the shocking assassination of political commentator Charlie Kirk during a campus event, the university in Orem, Utah, became a site of sorrow, confusion, and distress for students and faculty alike. Amid this heartbreak, one man, still recovering from major heart surgery, felt compelled to step in.

Mike Carlson, CEO of Golden Healers, had just undergone open-heart surgery on September 8—a procedure made possible by the generous donations of community members who raised $45,000 within days. But despite being in recovery, the moment he heard the news from UVU, Carlson knew he had to act. “I needed to get better, get out of the hospital right away so that I could come down here and do our job… to bring the therapy dog work to the community,” he explained.

Supported by his team and a group of eight trained therapy dogs, Carlson organized multiple sessions between Wednesday and Friday at various locations across the UVU campus. In those sessions, students were invited to pause, connect, and find comfort through soft fur and gentle licks.

Throughout the three-day effort, students expressed deep emotional release and gratitude. Many of them had never interacted with a therapy dog before, but the effects were immediate. According to Carlson, “They’re just a healing power and influence in my life, and I know they can do that for others.” Scientific studies back this up—therapy dogs have been shown to lower stress hormones, raise oxytocin levels, and provide comfort in ways that words often can’t.

Sophomore Elle Preston shared how personally meaningful the sessions were for her. “One of the dogs actually looks like one of my old dogs, so it was almost a little bit of closure,” she noted. Meanwhile, Junior Natasha Lowe found peace in the simplicity of the moment: “I love dogs so they’re very therapeutic. It was calming to come and pet a dog in between classes.”

The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Each session attracted steady crowds of 30 to 50 students at a time, highlighting just how much the university community needed a reprieve from the whirlwind of grief. The therapy dogs weren’t just offering distraction—they were fostering connection, hope, and healing.

Campus lawns that once echoed with silence and mourning began to fill with soft laughter and quiet conversations. Students wore green heart stickers in memory of the tragedy, and the comforting presence of therapy dogs seemed to bridge the emotional divide between sadness and resilience.

For Carlson, the experience was deeply emotional. Being able to return to the work he loves—and to help others during a time of need—felt nothing short of miraculous. “Because of [the community], I was able to do this today. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to,” he said. The effort, he believes, not only allowed him to give back but reminded students and faculty that they are not alone.

• Therapy dogs offer physical and emotional health benefits, including reduced blood pressure and stress.
• Sessions provided a safe space for UVU students to process their grief.
• The dogs served as gentle bridges to help people communicate and reconnect with others during emotional strain.

As the Utah Valley University community slowly moves forward, the paw prints left behind by these therapy dogs remain as symbols of compassion and resilience. In the most trying moments, their wordless comfort brought healing when it was needed most.