Veteran’s Profession Spans Taylor, the Coast Guard, Photography, and Therapy Dogs

Every Monday, alumnus Dan Boyd ’69 makes the rounds of the LaRita Boren Campus Center together with his remedy canine, Bayley. Bayley is a star at Taylor University, and college students virtually line as much as spend time with the fluffy, happy-go-lucky Leonberger.  

As a Coast Guard veteran and former motorsports photographer, Boyd had no concept he would sooner or later be working with remedy canine. 

From the Military to Motorsports Photography 

Boyd graduated from Taylor in 1969 with a level in schooling. Both of his mother and father graduated from Taylor in 1934 and inspired him to attend Taylor after he spent two years at Port Huron Junior College. 

Boyd deliberate to turn into a instructor at an elementary faculty in Jacksonville, Florida. However, he was drafted into the army instantly after graduating. While within the Coast Guard, he was launched to the world of images. He fell in love with it, and when his time within the army was up, he enrolled at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in New York. At the time, it was one of many premier images colleges on the planet.  

Going to high school at RIT helped line Boyd up with a job working as a full-time motorsports photographer. From 1974 to 2013, Boyd labored for numerous motorsports organizations. 

In 2013, Boyd had a job lined as much as proceed doing images with NASCAR however felt God calling him in one other route. He declined the provide and began working with remedy canine. 

Training Therapy Dogs 

Boyd has had two Bernese Mountain Dogs as remedy canine since beginning this system in 2017. Bennett was his first remedy canine, which he educated as a pet. Unfortunately, Bennett died of most cancers in 2022, and Boyd then educated Bayley, a Leonberger, who is popping seven this yr. Boyd is engaged on coaching one other remedy canine, a golden retriever named Barnabas. 

“This guy (Bayley) loves people,” Boyd mentioned. “He loves kids. He’s a chick magnet.”  

Boyd has been coming to Taylor together with his remedy canine for about six years now, partnering with the Counseling Center. Students love seeing Bayley and giving him hugs.  

Boyd didn’t depart images altogether whereas working together with his remedy canine. He labored part-time photographing the Indianapolis 500 from 2013 to 2024. He additionally makes use of images within the remedy canine program to take footage of Bayley with sufferers and college students. He even prints images of Bayley at hand to individuals to allow them to bear in mind their interactions. He tries to get an image of Bayley with each scholar they meet. He’s taken so many images that he has an album full of images of scholars with Bayley within the Counseling Center. 

Impacting Mental Wellness on Campus 

Kara Patrick, Assistant Director of the Counseling Center, mentioned remedy canine, particularly Bayley, have a huge impact on people’ psychological well being. 

“I think there is a sense of comfort that can be provided when they know that they’re going to see him,” Patrick mentioned. “Especially when we see therapy dogs coming into places, like the Stu or where people are kind of congregating, it can help foster conversation.”  

Boyd mentioned the instances Bayley impacts college students most are the primary week of faculty as some battle homesickness, and on the alternative finish of the semester with the stress of finals week. But anytime that he and Bayley come to Taylor, they contact the hearts of each scholar they meet.  

Sophomore Riley Yajko shared in regards to the influence that Bayley has had on her. 

“It gives me a brain break, because normally I’m locked in whenever Bayley comes by,” Yajko mentioned. “It just gives me a break to relax and recover from all of the work that I’m doing. Being able to squeeze his head and pet him and give him treats, just helps me relax from all of everything else that’s going on.” 

Boyd has additionally taken Bennett, and later Bayley, to IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie and the Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital in Marion to work together with sufferers, docs, nurses, and different employees. 

Boyd recounted one incident that occurred in a particular wants classroom when he had Bennett. 

“There was a girl there who didn’t respond, just laid there, didn’t move or anyything,” Boyd mentioned. “And the teachers and the caretakers in there were kind of watching, and the kids were doing well, and Bennett went over to this girl and took his nose and nudged her, and she responded, and they had never seen that.” 

Boyd’s website options hundreds of images he has taken from his time in motorsports thus far, together with images of Bayley with sufferers and college students.  

Boyd’s life has come full circle—from his time at Taylor to serving within the army, then pursuing motorsports images and now working with remedy canine. He believes God orchestrated every of those experiences, getting ready him for his present position of bringing pleasure to individuals by means of his remedy canine. 

Photos courtesy of Jina Park.