Jankowiak and other MSU community members paid money to spend time with dogs from the Capital Area Humane Society, a local animal shelter, during Rent a Puppy on Sunday and Monday.

“I have two dogs at home, so this is my experience to play with dogs while I’m at school,” Jankowiak said.

Wonder and Wilson halls’ governments co-sponsored the event Sunday and McDonel Hall residents sponsored the event Monday. Another Rent a Puppy will be held May 1 at Butterfield Hall.

The event Sunday raised about $800 for the shelter. Money will be used to care for the animals and provide food, water and medicine, said Kristen McCann, adoptions and foster coordinator for the shelter.

“I love animals, and I hope that (money) helps save them, especially from abusive homes,” Jankowiak said.

From a three-legged dog dressed in a jacket to a puppy with different colored eyes, the animals at the event enjoyed a “field trip” from the shelter, said Molly Eguchi, a volunteer at the shelter.

Playing with the animals gave students a chance to relax and de-stress, said Jeremy Shaba, a Wonders Hall mentor and animal science senior.

“The human-animal bond is a really strong thing, and if students get to spend a little time with the dogs. … (It) really makes the rest of their day a lot better,” he said.

Rent A Puppy also helped socialize the dogs to make them more adoptable, Eguchi said.

“All of them need a break from the shelter because as good of an environment as we try to offer them, it’s still an institution and they don’t get as much care as they would like and really should have,” Eguchi said.

Despite the chilly weather, more than 100 students and community members played with the dogs Sunday, said Marielle Kulling,
assistant hall director for Wonders Hall and graduate student.

“These programs are really, really popular and that’s why we wanted to do it — to bring together everyone in the community,” she said.

Hosting events on campus helps the Capital Area Humane Society reach students who otherwise might not be able to attend, McCann said.

“Generally, when we’re on campus we tend to be more available to students,” she said. “We reach a wider range of people.”

Some community members are not aware of the services Capital Area Humane Society provides and the event helped bring awareness to the shelter, McCann said.

It also helped expose broader issues of animal welfare by showing animals without homes, Jankowiak said.

“Some students are really aware of the issues of these animals, but other students really have no idea,” she said.

For more information about volunteering and adopting from the Capital Area Humane Society, visit its website at cahs-lansing.org/.