STEP program hosts puppy kissing booth at UNCW

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — People everywhere are spending this day of love with their special someone and sometimes they happen to have fur and four legs.   

There was a puppy kissing booth on campus at UNCW today. It was put together by the service dog training and education program, also known as STEP.

STEP is a student-run service. While this organization it is not managed by the university, many students showed up to show their support and spend time with a puppy.

All the money raised at today’s event will help “STEP” raise awareness about the purpose and impact of service dogs.

These soon-to-be service dogs will go on to train and be placed with individuals with disabilities. Over the course of their 10-18 month training, the puppies will learn basic commands, manners, and public access skills.

Apart from STEP, the university offers a Service Dogs Training Program (SDTP) that is in partnership with pawsforpeople. It is a university-based certificate program run by the College of Health and Human Services. The program provides students with academic credit while integrating service dogs into both clinical and educational environments. 

“UNCW sends out these weekly newsletters every week and I actually just clicked on it in the class before this one and I saw a puppy kissing booth until 3 o clock and I was like ‘well, I love dogs’ so, I thought I’d give it a shot,” said UNCW senior, Morgan Karmanocky.

UNCW senior Morgan Karmanocky says the puppies at the booth reminded her of her puppy back at home that she misses while she is away at college. For a only a dollar, she says “it was well worth it.”