Students gather to celebrate Dino’s sixth birthday paw-ty
UTM’s Career Centre hosts a special Paws & Unwind session to celebrate the campus therapy dog, Dino's birthday.
On January 12, the Career Centre hosted a birthday party celebrating Dino—University of Toronto Mississauga’s (UTM) therapy dog. Several students visited Dino (pronounced dee-no), petting him and enjoying his contagious, cheerful energy. Participants also got the chance to socialize with other students, enjoy refreshments, and write unique messages to a birthday wish wall.
This is not the first time students have met Dino. UTM’s Career Centre hosts routine “Paws & Unwind with Dino” drop-in sessions and appointments. Though this birthday wish wall was a unique activity to celebrate Dino, it also raised awareness for Save Our Scruff.
This Ontario-based rescue non-profit organization provides medical attention, care, and homes to both local and international dogs. This charity works with volunteers, foster homes, veterinarians, and trainers to rescue dogs and provide them with care until they find and screen permanent homes for them. Dino was adopted through this charity from Antigua.
Paws & Unwind with Dino sessions also provide students with career guidance and support, led by April Forbes, a UTM career outreach consultant with extensive experience and knowledge of on-campus opportunities. Forbes is also Dino’s handler.
Published April 2025, UTM’s Career Centre uploaded a YouTube video to provide more information about these sessions. Forbes states in the video, “Paws & Unwind is successful not only because of Dino, but because students feel comfortable coming to a space. So, that space needs to feel warm and welcoming and inviting so that when they are here, they end up staying. The way that it’s set up is very intentional.” Forbes also touches on his “easygoing” personality, and especially, the immense impact he has had on campus, with students sharing heartfelt testimonials in the video. The community he has garnered is seen online, too, with hundreds of followers and thousands of reel views on his personal Instagram page (@life_of_dino20).
In a discussion with The Medium, Forbes touched on all of the planning and student enthusiasm leading up to the event. “Plans for Dino’s birthday party started back in the fall during a Paws and Unwind drop-in session. Some students asked when his birthday was and suggested we throw a birthday party for him.”
Forbes continued, “The event took on a life of its own as students shared ideas on what we could do, like having him ‘open’ a few gifts and devour a slice of his favourite food, pizza. Dino is known for his love of destroying stuffies so that was absolutely incorporated.”
When asked about her message to the UTM community, Forbes explained, “Dino has brought our community together in such an authentic way. Students come together week after week to enjoy his presence, chat with each other and ask career-related questions. This party honours the community we have built together.”
This month, the Career Centre is also facilitating a two-part art contest, inviting students to draw or build Dino in a physical display. The “Dear Dino” contest is running until March 31 with prizes available for first and second place. More instructions are available on the Centre’s Instagram post.
The next Paws & Unwind session will be on February 3 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. in the William G. Davis Building’s Activity Room. For those who cannot attend, another session will be held soon after on February 9 with the same time and location. Students can also follow Dino’s Instagram page at @life_of_dino20 to follow along on his journey as UTM’s therapy dog.
