Drexel University’s therapy dogs program, the first of its kind to host an on-site therapy dog year-round, is now facing uncertainty. Nine-year program coordinator, Janine Erato, resigned from her role this week.
The Drexel Therapy Dogs Instagram account announced the news on July 7, posting: “Therapy Dog Program abruptly closes. Thanks for 9 years of wonderful memories.” Students and alumni shared comments expressing their frustration.
One user wrote, “Seeing these babies on campus made my day all the time!”
Another affirmed that “Dogs are medicine!”
The Drexel Therapy Dog program began in 2014 with the university’s first official canine, Jersey. After Jersey vacated his position, Erato’s son, who was attending Drexel at the time, recommended that his mother and their family dog, Chai, a Cane Corso, fill the role. Since then, the program has grown to include five dogs, many of them descendants of Chai: Espresso, Java, Mocha Latte, Pumpkin Chai and London Fog. Chai sadly passed away in 2023.
The dogs were on campus upwards of 20 hours per week and became fixtures at stress-relief events, dormitory visits and even classrooms. According to Erato, the program regularly interacted with 75 to 420 students per week.
“Over the 9+ years I served as the coordinator, I witnessed its impact ripple through nearly every corner of our campus community,” Erato told The Triangle. “Especially during finals or high-stress periods, students would light up when they saw the dogs.”
Erato described her decision to step down from her position as difficult but necessary. She cited multiple causative factors: “My prolonged salary freeze, significant budget reductions to my program, and newly introduced guidelines were impacting both the scope of my work and the resources available to do it effectively.”
In a post on Instagram that has since been deleted, the Drexel Therapy Dog account shared a graphic with the caption: “For transparency reasons, I’m sharing my salary as the coordinator…” The photo shared Erato’s yearly salary since 2016. In 2025 to date, she earned $11,475 at $25 per hour.
A Reddit user stated, “It’s disgusting knowing that John Fry made $2.6 million in 2021 while she made $13,170 that year.” Another commented on the situation, expressing, “I’d much rather my money go to the therapy dogs than that ridiculous Lockheed Martin building.”
Erato informed us that her direct supervisor, Patty Oller, has long supported the Drexel Therapy Dog Program. However, she shared, “I began to feel that the support from university administration wasn’t really there in a consistent or meaningful way.”
With disappointment, she emphasized that she did not take the decision lightly. “We were looking forward to celebrating 10 years at Drexel.”
In a statement to The Triangle, Orlin Jespersen, Director of Recreation, said: “The Drexel Therapy Dog program is not closing. We look forward to continuing this support service in the upcoming academic year with a new provider.”
This directly contradicts the messaging from the Drexel Therapy Dogs social media accounts.
Erato confirmed that she was asked to turn over her program’s social media passwords as part of her resignation. Beyond that, she said the only official communication she received from the university was an email acknowledging her resignation and arranging for the return of university property.
With Erato’s departure, the dogs — Espresso, Java, Mocha Latte, Pumpkin Chai and London Fog — will no longer be present on Drexel’s campus. Erato will continue working with them as a trainer through Balanced K9 Training of Pennsylvania, focusing on service and therapy dog training.
“The dogs will continue training and competing in the sports they love,” Erato said. “I’m excited that they’ll also be assisting me in my next chapter.” The dogs compete in activities such as weight pulling, dock diving and more.
For many students, the program’s closure marks the loss of more than just dogs. As Erato stated, “The presence of a therapy dog created a neutral, judgment-free space that brought people together, no matter their background or academic discipline. Some students returned week after week, semester after semester. We had regulars who formed real bonds with the dogs.”
Erato believes there is a future for Drexel’s Therapy Dog Program, but she said it would require structural changes, starting with increased administrative backing and authorization for the coordinator to utilize the funds that the program has raised. However, “The foundation is already there: years of proven value, community interest, and a clear track record of positive impact on student well-being,” Erato asserts.
For many students, the absence of Erato’s five beloved Cane Corsos leaves a void at the heart of Drexel’s community. Although the office of Recreational Athletics has confirmed that the program will continue with a new director, there is no replacing Espresso, Java, Mocha Latte or twins Pumpkin Chai and London Fog.