by Clara Johnson ’26 on November 13, 2025
News
Finnegan is a five-year-old 100 lb. Bernese Mountain Dog who loves walks, belly rubs, and people, especially his family. Frequently he can be found rolling around in the various grassy spots on campus, but he is not just any ordinary dog—Finnegan is a certified therapist.
To be technical, Finnegan is a member of PC’s pet-assisted therapy team, along with his owner, Rosemary Mugan ’98, the executive director of the Personal Counseling Center. Together, this team, aptly named Pause with Paws, provides physical comfort and emotional support to students and staff around campus.
Mugan told The Cowl that Finnegan is first and foremost a family dog, adopted by Mugan and her family at eight weeks old. From a young age, they could tell there was something special about Finnegan. She described him as leaning toward people experiencing stress, sadness, or loss. He would approach and support Mugan’s children when they experienced stress, ensuring they were okay before tending to his other duties, which mostly included receiving constant belly rubs. Even while Finnegan was still a puppy, he developed a bond with a neighbor experiencing grief at the loss of her husband and dog, providing them support with his large and gentle presence.
It was clear to Mugan and her family from an early age that Finnegan had a special ability to connect with people and provide support with his physical presence. So she decided to pursue certification through Windwalker’s Pet Assisted Therapy Program. This program entailed 10 weeks of classes for Mugan to learn about pet-assisted therapy, and eight weeks of classes with Mugan and Finnegan, in which the team learned pet therapy techniques and had the opportunity to practice in a skilled nursing home. After two 10-hour internships, one of which was at PC, Mugan and Finnegan were finally able to begin serving the community as a certified pet therapy team.
There is striking research on the power of pet therapy. Having a pet can provide companionship, increase life longevity, and decrease stress. Interacting with an animal lowers blood pressure and heart rate. In fact, research on college campuses indicates that pet therapy can decrease stress, especially during high-stress times such as final examination periods, and increase community connections for first-year students.
Beyond the theoretical impacts, Mugan has witnessed some of the more tangible impacts that Finnegan can have on the day-to-day. Finnegan meets people in many capacities, brightening people’s days on campus and providing stress relief in the Personal Counseling Center. Finnegan can even support the therapeutic role by providing physical comfort when clinicians cannot—he will lean, lounge, and press on students when they crave regulating physical contact. Finnegan also supports the clinicians in the Personal Counseling Center, helping them to replenish themselves as they support students.
Finnegan is on campus every other Wednesday and every Thursday, though his time on Thursdays varies to accommodate a variety of student schedules. Interested students can reach out to reserve one of these drop-in sessions day of, and can schedule time for just themselves or with a few friends.
With the approach of tumultuous periods, such as the holidays and final exams, resources like Finnegan can provide stress relief and comfort. However, the Personal Counselling Center is available to students in many other ways.
The Personal Counseling Center is open for students to receive counseling services from a variety of clinicians with a diverse array of expertise and licenses. There is no charge to students seeking this support, and there are no limits to how often they can schedule sessions.
Students do not need to have a diagnosable concern. In Mugan’s words, “Sometimes it’s adjustment; sometimes it’s overwhelming”—the resources are only a call or an email away, and they are completely confidential.
When asked about accessing the Personal Counseling Center’s resources, Mugan told The Cowl, “Don’t wait… The mental health component is all health. It is a part of the holistic you.”
If support from a clinician is not what a student needs or a student does not feel ready yet, they can also seek alone time and relaxation in the relaxation room, open daily between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. This room has a massage chair, a recliner, and, typically, relaxing music for students. It can be accessed at any time without advance booking, so long as it is not at capacity.
If you are interested in any of these resources, the Personal Counseling Center can be located in Lower Bedford Hall or contacted at (401) 865-2343.