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PHOTOS: Therapy dogs earn honorary 'dogtorates' from University of Maryland, Baltimore


Several therapy dogs, including Dogtor Loki, earned their "dogrees" on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. (7News)
Several therapy dogs, including Dogtor Loki, earned their "dogrees" on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. (7News)
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It’s graduation season and the University of Maryland, Baltimore celebratedservice and therapy dogs who went above and beyond for the community.

Several therapy dogs, including Dogtor Loki, earned their "dogrees" on Tuesday at a lighthearted graduation ceremony.

Officials told WJLA that Loki, a 5-year-old Rottweiler, received an honorary "Dogtorate of Medicine" for her extraordinary service during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"She was able to work in the trauma centers because she was able to handle all the machines. She could come into basically any part of the hospital that needed a therapy dog to come in," Loki's handler said.

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The university says Loki raised over $100,000 to create and deliver Hero Healing Kits alongside her handler, Caroline Benzel, MD to frontline healthcare workers during the pandemic. Loki also offered virtual therapy sessions with University of Maryland Medical Center healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients.

Alongside Loki, service dogs Kylo Red, a 3-year-old Goldendoodle and Kiera, a 6-year-old Labradoodle received a Dogtorate of Pharmacy and a Juris Dogtor.

"Both service dogs provided invaluable support to their handlers as they pursued degrees at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy and Maryland Carey Law," officials said.

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