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The new dog on campus is truly a catch. Carter is a therapy dog and not to be confused with a service dog. Therapy dogs provide emotional support to improve moods and spirits while service dogs generally just provide physical support, such as assistance with walking. Another difference is that a service dog should not be bothered while on duty because it could cause problems for the owner, but therapy dogs love to serve everyone, and they appreciate as many belly rubs from strangers as they can get—as long as their human is okay with it.

Despite only being 3-years-old, Carter has the demeanor and gray hair of a happy old man. Carter likes to spend most of his days taking naps in between classes. Despite his training, he is learning to be young again on campus through playtime with his owner, David McMillan, and his owner’s roommate, Cole Middleton. Thankfully, Middleton is a big fan of dogs so when McMillan asked him if he could bring his therapy dog to campus, Middleton was beyond excited. In fact, Middleton has grown so fond of Carter that he even lets the dog sleep in his bed with him at night.

But don’t let Carter’s friendly laid-back attitude fool you – he has undergone ample amounts of training for his new job as a full-time best friend. McMillan and Middleton are also members of the Catawba Shelter Guardians, a club on campus sponsored by Spanish Professor Cheryl Peevy, helping local shelter animals at events.