RILEY RAINS / ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

Outside of USD School of Law, Toreros held chickens in  embroidered pouches, students watched ducks slurp down pond water and llamas hummed on a patch of grass. These sights and sounds were all possibilities for students who walked around campus during Torero hours on March 5. 

Law Student Affairs hosted a “Law Student Wellness Week” to encourage serenity post-midterms. Events included therapy dogs on Monday, mindful coloring on Wednesday and finally, a petting zoo on Thursday. While the week was meant for law students, after an overflow of undergraduates spotted the animals, the Law Student Affairs succumbed and allowed all Toreros to enjoy the animals’ presence. 

In order to participate in the petting zoo,    all   students  had to sign a waiver. This deterred some Toreros from participating. However, even those who didn’t participate could feel the energy of the llamas reverberating around campus. 

USD sophomore Madeleine Whalen didn’t pet the animals, instead she experienced them through other senses. 

“I couldn’t see the llamas, but I sure could smell them,” Whalen joked. 

Law Student Affairs advertised the event through physical     flyers and   Instagram posts. Once students spotted the farm animals, word spread faster than expected ­— social media and whispered conversations publicized the petting zoo. 

USD senior Gabriella Pardo learned about the event through Fizz. 

“It was a   completely   unexpected   event in my  day, but it’s amazing,” Pardo stated.  “It’s so cute that all the animals are rescued.”

The animals belonged to the Garden of Eden Mobile Petting Zoo, a sustainable rescue farm. The company rents out the animals to privately hosted events such as birthday parties, fairs or a USD Wellness Week. 

Shawneen Burdick, the farmer that owns the petting zoo, was unable to comment on the Law Student Affairs Wellness Week. While The USD Vista team was with the animals, Burdick was busy chasing down her chihuahua, named Reziah, who escaped to track down a rogue chicken.

The rescue animals were the talk of campus. At the event, students had the opportunity to hold chickens, pet llamas, chase hopping rabbits, squawk with ducks and comfort newly rescued guinea pigs. While the event’s purpose was to calm law students, undergraduates’ midterms aligned closely with graduate students’ exams. 

USD junior Annalise Bowman expressed appreciation for the petting zoo, especially after a week of stressful academics. 

“I have no idea what’s going on, but I am really, really happy,” Bowman commented.

When the animals are not partying with Toreros, they inhabit a 10-acre farm that specializes in their rehabilitation and well-being. While the Garden of Eden farm prioritized these furry friends’ holistic health, the Law Student Affairs board promoted wellness with a flurry of animals that calmed stressed students across campus.

Llamas standing stoically outside the USD School of Law. Riley Rains/The USD Vista