KINGSTON, R.I.–March 4, 2026–Whether she’s resting her head on someone’s lap or simply cozying up on the couch, the University of Rhode Island’s new facility dog, Winsome, a.k.a. “Winnie,” provides students with much-needed therapeutic, emotional, and physical support.

Winnie, a 2-year-old Goldador (or a Golden Retriever/Labrador cross) from the Oregon-based non-profit Dogs for Better Lives, arrived in Kingston shortly after the new year to begin her new role with the URI Counseling Center.

Facility dogs are highly trained canines that usually work alongside a professional handler in hospitals, schools, advocacy centers, and even courthouses to help reduce anxiety and provide emotional support. They can help encourage engagement by integrating skills into therapies or lesson plans, inspire collaboration and build confidence. Unlike therapy dogs, facility dogs are bred for specific, predetermined physical and behavioral traits and are task-trained to assist with specific goals in addition to providing emotional support.

URI clinical counselor and care manager Danielle Madden, LICSW, first applied to the Dogs For Better Lives’ facility dog program in November of 2024. She completed two written applications, a video tour of her office space on campus and her home, as well as a two-hour interview before the Counseling Center was added to the organization’s wait list. Once approved, Winnie was flown from Oregon to live with Madden, who will serve as her handler, before she made her URI debut in January.

“She’s definitely a welcome addition to our team,” Madden said.

Winnie spends her days in Madden’s office in Roosevelt Hall. If one of Madden’s students visiting the center for counseling services feels anxious or needs support, Winnie utilizes her bond-based training, by providing something as simple as cuddling or more advanced techniques such as deep pressure therapy.

Already a budding star on campus, Winnie stopped by the Academic Summit at the Memorial Union earlier this semester and was met with rave reviews. Winnie will be a big part of Madden’s work this semester, including at Madden’s Stress G.P.S. wellness group. She will also take part in a reoccurring “Wellness with Winnie” series at the Carothers Library where she will spend an hour in the lobby interacting with students on March 30, April 13, and April 30 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Madden also plans to collaborate with URI’s Psychological Consultation Center, which houses two therapy dogs, Basil and Betty, for additional visits. Organizations, departments, and colleges can request a classroom or event visit from Winnie.

In addition to providing support for students Winnie also serves as a great way help promote the Counseling Center’s services. This past fall, the center earned accreditation from the International Accreditation of Counseling Services, a leader for benchmarking professional counseling services on college and university campuses.

“There’s a lot of research around animal assisted interventions and the benefits that they can have on a college campus,” Madden said. “We saw the Psychological Consultation Center was having a great success with their program with Basil and Betty, so I connected with [department director] Lindsay Anderson to see what that experience has been like for her. She said that she gets more requests for interaction than she can accommodate.

“I think that a lot of students feel a sense of calmness when they’re able to interact with a dog on campus. Some of them miss their dogs at home. With the stress that students deal with daily, there’s a benefit to having a program like this.”

Winnie was born through Guide Dogs for the Blind, the largest guide dog school in North America, but she was gear-sensitive, meaning she struggled with harnesses and vests, so the organization reassigned her as a career change dog, which led her to Dogs For Better Lives. She’s the perfect fit for the Counseling Center, which provides individual and group counseling, care management and crisis support.

Madden encourages anyone who sees Winnie on campus to stop and say hello. Her addition to the counseling team provides a calming presence and serves as an ice breaker to raise awareness about the services available to students who need assistance.

“She can serve as a bridge for students who might not be comfortable enough to come and talk to us, but they’re comfortable enough to come and ask, ‘Can I pet your dog?’” Madden said.

“It can be tough to approach a Counseling Center table at an event, but if someone is petting Winnie I can say, ‘Hey, just so you know, we have some drop-in times. You can come in and see her again and maybe we can talk a little bit.’ It helps make students feel more comfortable to have that conversation.”

The URI Counseling Center is located on the second floor of Roosevelt Hall. Visit: uri.edu/counseling for more information on the programs and services available.

Michael Parente, director of communications and marketing in the URI Division of Student Affairs, wrote this news release.