by Natalie DeFord, News Writer
In addition to the friendly human faces at the Pacific Lutheran University Women’s Center, you can find some furry friends there as well. The two dogs at the Women’s Center are here to help with stress management, event suggestions or love advice.
Lady Jane and Lucky can be seen in the windows of the Women’s Center, barking hello to all who pass by.
Jonathan Yglesias, Men’s Project Coordinator at the Women’s Center, said anyone is welcome to come visit the dogs. He also said they are part of the friendly atmosphere.
Lady Jane is a Chihuahua and Lucky is a Chihuahua-Pomeranian mix.
“Lucky and I both got hired in November,” Yglesias, said. “He’s like myself, we’re both from Virginia.”
Yglesias said Lady Jane was found wandering around the PLU campus three to four years ago and taken in by Jennifer Warwick, Victim Advocate and Voices Against Violence Project Administrator.
Yglesias guessed that Lady Jane is between four and six years old, and Lucky is nine years old.
The Women’s Center is known for being a place to chill with books, coffee, tea and relaxing spaces for studying or socializing.
Yglesias said their goal is always to be a welcoming space and that the dogs help with that.
They can also help comfort those who are victims of stalking, violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment, etc.
“We don’t implement animal therapy, but we do have people who come for coffee or tea and just chill and seek out the dogs,” Yglesias said.
He said the dogs are especially popular around stressful times such as finals week.
“It’s nice to have a space where animals are present and people seem to be embracing them,” Yglesias said.
Now, the dogs also have their own advice column where anyone can submit anonymous questions and receive love advice from the dogs.
Their column can be read on the Women’s Center’s Tumblr at http://pluwomenscenter.tumblr.com/ and a link to the submission form can be found there as well.
So far, their two posts have been on “50 Shades of Grey” and how to keep the flame of romance alive in a lengthy relationship.
“They’re here to help people,” Yglesias said.
As for Yglesias, he is happy to have a furry companion with him at work.
“It feels natural to have a nice, little, warm animal near you and I’m very grateful to work in a place where that’s allowed,” Yglesias said.
Yglesias said the dogs highly encourage all students to go to the event Dark Matter April 2 at 6:30 p.m. in the Karen Hille Phillips Center. It’s a free event where a South Asian trans activist group will be giving a workshop and performing a show called “It Gets Better.”
The dogs will also be making a special appearance at two of the upcoming Women’s Center events. The “PLU Take Back The Night Rally” will be April 30 from 5:30-8:00 p.m. in Red Square. Then they will be seen again at the “Women’s Center in Red Square” event sometime in early May.
Additionally, Yglesias said the Women’s Center tends to post on its Facebook page, when the dogs are in and ready for a visit.
