Community Invites Students to Spend Time with Animals in Aftermath of MSU Mass Shooting
By Delores Kuhlwein
The mass shooting Monday evening, February 13, 2023, at Michigan State University left the East Lansing community in a state of shock.
A gunman opened fire in two different areas of the campus, killing three students and leaving five others in critical condition. He was later found deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. As of Thursday, February 16th, one of the students was updated to stable condition.
Taylor Fabus, the Western Coach for their MSU Equestrian Team found herself glued to the police scanner Monday night. “I kept getting a head count from my team members of how they were and what building they were in,” she explains. “When I’d hear their building(s) on the police scanner, my heart would drop until I got word that the coast was clear again. Longest 4 hours of my life until the shooter was eventually stopped.”
The humane society, and local parks and zoos like the Potter Park Zoo, in addition to the MSU Dairy Cattle Teaching and Research Center and the MSU Horse Teaching and Research Center, responded without hesitation. All opened their doors free to MSU students who wanted time with animals, or simply not to be alone, explains Fabus.
“We all know animals are the best listeners. There’s no judgement, they just seem to sense when we need comforting,” she says.
The MSU Dairy Cattle Teaching and Research Center saw over 600 visitors in just two days. Some visitors stayed for a few minutes, and some for a couple of hours, explains Farm Manager Jim Good. “We put this together last minute due to the tragic event Monday night,” he explains, saying the companion dogs brought to campus were the springboard for the idea. “We thought the livestock would work very similarly. The students felt it was a wonderful thing, and it gave them a moment of peace. They felt safe and secure here.”
The farm provided disposable boots and gloves so students and community members could get right into the pen with calves, and brushes so they could brush the cows. Good adds that they also experienced an outpouring from local vendors, with lots of refreshments and free milk provided by vendors like the United Diary Industry of Michigan.
Local residents, community members, staff and students alike frequented the farm, and it was easy to see how impactful the interaction between animals and humans was, he says. “We all know animals are good listeners.”
Fabus explains that her equestrian team members have been coming to the barn this week, not necessarily to have a lesson or prep for regionals as their competitors might be doing this time of year, but instead to just have a leisurely ride with their favorite team horse and get a hug from their coach. “This is my first year coaching and I hope I’ll have many memories in the future of exciting wins in the arena but to be honest with you, this past week has been an unforgettable time as a coach. I’m so grateful to offer a place of solace for these hurting students. It’s most definitely brought us all closer together.”
Spartan equestrian team members turned to their horses for comfort – Alyssa Ethington, Riley Vandendries, and Taylor Coffman,
The MSU Horse Teaching and Research Center also shared their horses with the public with the same type of hands-on opportunities, explains Dr. Karen Waite, Academic Specialist and Director of Undergraduate Education of the Department of Animal Science. “The MSU Horse Teaching and Research Center is open to the public daily, and oftentimes people will come to sit and watch the horses graze, eat their lunch, etc. This was one of the first times we made the horses publicly available for grooming, however, simply because they are usually used for classes.”
She explains there is plenty of research detailing the effectiveness of animals in traumatic situations, although the most visible typically are dogs. “When the shooting happened, it became clear that while students needed (and will continue to need) outlets and ways to process their grief, so too did the community at large,” Waite says. “As a result, we came up with the idea of having horses available for people to brush, etc. as a way we could help provide some peace. The response was tremendous. We had roughly 220 visitors, and all were able to interact with our horses.”
Dr. Waite, Dr. Christine Skelly and their barn manager, Paula Hitzler, have conducted research examining how equine interaction at various levels impacts anxiety and mood, both in students and in healthcare workers during COVID. “While we can’t share detailed results until after they’re presented at the Equine Science Society meetings this summer, suffice it to say they statistically align with what most horse people would expect,” says Waite.
“In talking with some of my horse show friends, it’s easy for us to forget just how special horses are, given that we’re around them so much,” she adds.
Farm Manager Jim Good says the barns are open every day of the year, though this was more structured. He says they’re extremely grateful for all the publicity and for the volunteers, staff, and food donors. “This brought the community together in so many ways.”
