STILLWATER, Okla. — Forget the mean mugs that usually go along with football photoshoots, it was hard not to smile for this one.
Oklahoma State University football players posed with Pete’s Pet Posse poodle, Dolly Parton.
The pet therapy program was created in 2013 as a collaboration with former OSU first lady Ann Hargis and the vet and counseling services on campus. Hargis and her husband adopted a dog OSU students found abused and shot in Stillwater. Scruff was the first dog of OSU and trained in the first ever Pet Posse class before later being inducted in the Oklahoma Animal Hall of Fame.
Therapy animals are trained and placed in OSU departments as an additional wellness benefit to faculty, staff, students and visitors to the OSU campus. They also make regular visits to campus events.
These animals belong to faculty, staff and others affiliated with OSU and are not owned by the university. They live with their humans full time when they aren’t on campus.
Pete’s Pet Posse is funded solely by donations. You can donate here.
Dolly is a 2-year-old miniature poodle. She can usually be found in her office inside the Men’s Basketball offices inside Gallagher-Iba. She is nationally certified with Alliance of Therapy Dogs.
You can read the bios for all the therapy dogs here.