Last Saturday, April 9th, your favorite intrepid reporters ventured to the ends of the earth (as in, past SCL) for the important journalistic task of taking lots of pictures of adorable puppies.
In case you were unaware, the Yale Humanist Community and the Canine Cognition Center at Yale paired up to host an Animal Gratitude Ceremony, and it was amazing. (The Canine Cognition Center is a fairly new lab in the psychology department here at Yale devoted exclusively to learning about how dogs think. I know.) We here at The Boola are here to introduce you to some of the day’s brightest stars, and also to take a moment to appreciate just how fabulous dogs really are.*
*All pictures taken by Carolina Carrillo ’19.
Arrow
Age: 9 months
Year at Center*: Senior
Arrow’s Human Says: “I wanted a dog for years. I dog sat a lot, but never got the opportunity to have a dog of my own. When I went to Africa to study sea turtles, I was in a place with a big street dog problem, and one day, someone brought in a litter of puppies! I’m just so grateful for Arrow because he brings stability to my life, and that’s something I missed in the past. I know that no matter what happens, I’ll have to get up in the morning to walk him, and that might seem like a hassle, but really it’s become a blessing.”
*Dog students at the Canine Cognition Center work towards their degrees—both undergraduate and graduate– just like their human counterparts. Just when you thought this place couldn’t get any better.
Java
Age: 9 years
Year at Center: Junior
Java’s Human Says: “Java is a constant lovebug! I feel like she chose me. She provides me with constant companionship and is a willing participant in every aspect of my life.”
Dora
Age: 6 ½ years
Year at Center: Senior
Dora’s Human Says: “Dora makes me smile every day. She’s a constant in my life, and can always make me feel better about myself.”
Coco
Age: 1 year
Coco’s Human Says: “I went eight months without a dog and it was so lonely! Coco brings happiness to my life.”
Penn
Age: 7 years
Year at Center: Senior
Penn’s Human Says: “We got Penn when he was 18 months old as a rescue Labradoodle, so we’ve had him for around 5 ½ years. He’s my exercise partner and my volunteer partner—he volunteers with children. He’s just always happy, and that makes me happy. Even when we met him for the first time, and he’d just spent a long car journey in a tiny crate on a truck, he came out wagging his tail.”
Kia
Age: 9 years
Year at Center: Sophomore
Kia’s Human Says: “I got Kia when she was 4 from the Humane Society. Apparently, she’d been brought to the shelter 3 times, although I don’t understand why. She’s so calm, and just always a delight. When I got her initially, she was scared of everything, but she was so beautiful I knew she was the one. She was like a supermodel that wouldn’t give me the time of day.”
Benjamin Westerbrook
Age: 3 years
Occupation: Spokesdog for Calhoun College
Year at Center: Official Graduate
Benjamin’s Human Says: “Benjamin is my best friend! He reminds me to find joy during stressful days because he’s always so excited about everything.”
Tuna
Age: Almost 2 years
Year at Center: Sophomore
Tuna’s Human Says: “I’ve had Tuna for around a year and a half. She really forces me to slow down and see the world through new eyes, because she notices EVERYTHING. It’s sometimes hard to remember to notice the little things, but she always does.”
Annie
Age: 11 years
Annie’s Human Says: “Annie is involved in every part of my life. I got her with my mom, who passed away a couple of years ago, so Annie reminds me of her. She also makes it easier to make friends, because I always take her to events and out walking and people will say ‘hi’ because she’s so cute. I brought her to the nursing home and all the residents loved her. One of them pointed to the white spot on her forehead and said—’That’s the place Annie was touched by an angel!'”