Helping students one paw at a time

BY MICAELA SULLIVAN

Multimedia Journalist

With just one encounter with Dallie in the student center or at a game, many students find that their day becomes ten times better than it was before. 

Jodi Weyers and Dallie are a new but well-known presence on the Tarleton State University campus since their arrival in August. Dallie is a therapy dog certified through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs who has been helping not only students but people in the communities she has been a part of, such as the local Stephenville assisted living center, Good Tree. 

Dallie’s first introduction to college students was at Southern Methodist University last summer, where Jodi found that she and Dallie loved being around the college environment. 

“About almost a year ago, I had reached out to Tarleton, just asking if they would be interested in having a therapy dog on campus,” Weyers said. “The person I had initially reached out to put me in touch with Allison Shoot . . . Allison worked through Tarleton’s compliance department, who then finally approved Dallie and I to be on campus. That’s when we started, in August, after we got approved to be on campus.”

Weyers and her husband just recently sent her youngest child off to college and found that helping students was also helping her. 

“The purpose of what we are doing is to bring joy and happiness to college students, but what I did not expect was all the joy and happiness college students would bring to me,” Weyers said. “This is good for me to have some purpose in this season of life of being an empty nester.”

Dallie has definitely made a positive impact on students at Tarleton. Some Tarleton students say Dallie is their favorite part of the day. 

“One of the most common things I hear students say are things like, ‘I wasn’t having a very good day but I am now because Dallie’s here,’” Weyers said. “I also hear students say how much they miss their own dog from home. I really just feel like having Dallie on campus sort of brings this small level of comfort and peace that they may or may not have in their day depending on how crazy of a day it is for them.”

Dallie has her own Instagram where pictures are shared of Dallie with students and families alike. The account regularly posts updates and times on when and where she may be, as well as shares tons of pictures with students who love Dallie. 

Dallie’s purpose is to bring a sense of home to Tarleton, and she has successfully done that for not just Tarleton State University students but for Weyers, too. So the next time you see Dallie, don’t be afraid to reach out and pet her; she is here for Tarleton Texans.