Jane Zink and Buddy, her golden Labrador, always draw attention when they walk around campus.
"How often do you see a dog in boots?" Zink says.
The students are eager to touch him. She'll tell them that he's working -- and they understand. Buddy is a service animal who helps Zink, a biology and chemistry junior with Type 1 diabetes, when he senses her blood sugar is low.
Buddy is just one of several dogs who belong on the UNT campus.
Like Buddy, there are the service animals who help students with disabilities. Keegan is a member of the UNT Police Department and sniffs out potential explosives. More than two dozen dogs live in campus housing, either as emotional support animals for students or as companions to housing directors. And Buddy the Therapy Poodle in Counseling and Testing Services allow students time to heal from the stresses of life.
These dogs lend a lifeline to students for their physical and mental health. Zink, who wants to go to medical school and pursue a career in pathology, says Buddy keeps her safe and able to go places as she'll be alerted to any incidents of hypoglycemia.
"He means independence, safety and security," she says. "He's my best friend, a fuzzy best friend."