The University of Rhode Island has introduced a new facility dog, Winsome—known as “Winnie”—to its Counseling Center. Winnie, a two-year-old Goldador, arrived from the Oregon-based non-profit Dogs for Better Lives at the start of the year and is now part of the support team for students.
Facility dogs are trained to work with professional handlers in environments such as hospitals and schools. Their role is to help reduce anxiety and provide emotional support through various tasks and interactions. Unlike therapy dogs, facility dogs are specifically bred and trained for these responsibilities.
Danielle Madden, LICSW, a clinical counselor and care manager at URI, applied to Dogs For Better Lives’ program in November 2024. The application process included written submissions, a video tour of her office and home, and an interview before being placed on a wait list. Once approved, Winnie traveled from Oregon to live with Madden and began working at URI in January.
“She’s definitely a welcome addition to our team,” Madden said.
Winnie spends most days in Madden’s office at Roosevelt Hall. She assists students by offering comfort through cuddling or deep pressure therapy when needed. Winnie has already made appearances at campus events like the Academic Summit at Memorial Union and will be featured in activities such as Madden’s Stress G.P.S. wellness group this semester. She will also participate in “Wellness with Winnie” sessions at Carothers Library on March 30, April 13, and April 30.
Madden plans to collaborate with URI’s Psychological Consultation Center—which also houses two therapy dogs—for additional student visits. Departments can request classroom or event visits from Winnie as well.
In addition to supporting students directly, Winnie helps promote awareness of the Counseling Center’s services among the campus community. The center recently received accreditation from the International Accreditation of Counseling Services.
“There’s a lot of research around animal assisted interventions and the benefits that they can have on a college campus,” Madden said. “We saw the Psychological Consultation Center was having a great success with their program with Basil and Betty, so I connected with [department director] Lindsay Anderson to see what that experience has been like for her. She said that she gets more requests for interaction than she can accommodate.”
“I think that a lot of students feel a sense of calmness when they’re able to interact with a dog on campus. Some of them miss their dogs at home. With the stress that students deal with daily, there’s a benefit to having a program like this.”
Winnie was originally bred by Guide Dogs for the Blind but was reassigned due to sensitivity issues related to harnesses—a change that led her into her current role via Dogs For Better Lives.
Madden encourages anyone who sees Winnie on campus to stop by for an introduction or simply say hello: “She can serve as a bridge for students who might not be comfortable enough to come and talk to us, but they’re comfortable enough to come and ask, ‘Can I pet your dog?’”
“It can be tough to approach a Counseling Center table at an event, but if someone is petting Winnie I can say, ‘Hey, just so you know, we have some drop-in times. You can come in and see her again and maybe we can talk a little bit.’ It helps make students feel more comfortable to have that conversation.”
The URI Counseling Center is located on the second floor of Roosevelt Hall; more information about programs is available online at uri.edu/counseling.
