Sun sets on Sunshine the therapy dog’s career

When people walk into Helmke Library at Purdue University Fort Wayne, they might be surprised to sometimes see a bear-size dog laying on a blanket about 30 feet inside the door. 

What in the world?

Except Sunshine, a 150-pound, 7-year-old Newfoundland, is an invited and highly prized guest. She’s a therapy dog who has been a frequent visitor to the library over the past six years. During the last two semesters, she made two or three weekly appearances and has been known to interact with as many as 200 students during a visit. Licensed by the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, she’s become part of the library family for students, faculty, and staff members who rush to pet or even lie down with her.

“The library loves Sunshine!” said Kris Frye, director the writing center and the library service desk. “There are so many days when there is a continuous stream of students to see her. It’s common for a student to come up and love on her before Bill has a chance to get the blanket put down. There was a memorable moment when a student walked in the doors, went directly to Sunshine, and essentially face-planted into her soft fur.”

Bill is Sunshine’s owner, Bill Simmet, who delivers Sunshine to her adoring audience. Always picking up the pace as she gets closer, Sunshine loves coming to the library, which is essentially a spa day for the dog who lets anyone speak, snuggle, and gently play with her for hours at a time.

“She’s not going to solve anybody’s problems, but she can help,” Simmet said. “I like to tell people we were all put on this planet to do something, and this is what she was meant to do—and we were lucky enough to be brought together.”

Her effect almost has to be seen to be believed or put into context. Simmet estimates Sunshine has made more than 400 visits to campus, but her last one was held last week. Traditionally, her breed only lives 8-to-10 years, and he’s noticed a decline in her movements in recent months, so he’s decided she’s going to retire too soon rather than too late. What does retirement mean?

“She’s going to go home and get as fat as she wants,” Simmet quipped.

Fortunately, Simmet already has a replacement, 1-year-old Chet who has already visited the library a few times. He weighs about 110 pounds and is still growing.

“Chet is a very large bundle of absolute love,” Frye said. “He’s a pup, even though he looks like a small grizzly bear, and he knows he needs to be calm, but sometimes that’s just very hard to do! He just can’t help that happy tail and body wag when people come over to see him. He’ll eyeball students coming in, using his puppy dog eyes to beckon them over, practically begging them to come say hi.”

And as they approach, Chet’s front feet start to tap and dance like he just can’t contain himself until they get there.

Sunshine is infinitely calmer and rarely moves as students love on her, though she has the most expressive eyes on campus. 

“Sunshine just makes me happy,” said student Madeleine Wisniewski, a regular visitor. “I just love dogs, so seeing her every once in a while is nice.”

Wisniewski and friend Hallie Fecteau usually cut through the library on their way to classes in the Science Building in case Sunshine is waiting. During finals week, Simmet brought the dog three times and stayed for hours.

If Sunshine is missing, it’s not uncommon for students to be disappointed and ask the desk attendants when she’s coming back. Students—and even faculty members—who are feeling stressed sometimes lie next to the dog on the blanket. It’s almost impossible not to at least want to lean over and pet her.

“I think Sunshine calms everyone down, even if you are having the worst day,” said Mary Ross, program manager in the Department of Psychology and of Being Well: The Mental Health Readiness Project. “Every day this campus is a small city inside a big city that sits in the middle of this world. Anything and everything can go on at this campus just the same way it does throughout the world, and she brings a calm to it. I think people find comfort with her.

“The other thing that makes it important for Sunshine to be here is there have been a lot of losses the last few years, and those losses equate to not being as prepared to be in this setting. It takes somebody being calm, and that’s the biggest part of her—and those eyes.”