On May 6 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Washburn’s Student Wellness Recreation Center (SWRC), Helping Hands Humane Society provided adoptable kittens as well as dogs for students to pet and play with.  This is one of many events lined up to help students prepare for finals.

Three dogs and three kittens were available for students to interact with.  The dogs were situated in different areas around the room with a volunteer or their owner holding their leash while students pet them.

“I think it’s de-stressing and also something fun and different to help take people’s minds off finals week,” said Emi Griess, the volunteer coordinator for the Helping Hands Humane Society.  “It’s definitely a big hit.”

Griess said the dogs with them were alumni who were adopted by staff or volunteers and have their canine good citizen certificate.

“They’re really good at interacting with people which is good because we have a large number of people who come through,” Griess said.           

The kittens named Flick and Charlie are still available for adoption and are aged between approximately 8-10 weeks. 

“If they were interested, we could give them all the information here, the adoption fees, but they would have to physically go back to the shelter,” Griess said when explaining the adoption process.  “They’d have to meet with an adoption counselor, fill out a little adoption profile, they go over important medical information, advice for after you adopt them, and then you sign some official paperwork.”

  The Humane Society is located on 21st and Belle and is open from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.  Adoptions can take place from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.  Adoptions end thirty minutes before closing.  For more information, please visit the Helping Hands Humane Society website at www.hhhstopeka.org.