Nope, there's nothing better that petting a dog . . . And no one knows that better than the the droves of stressed-out Rice students enjoying the school's current pet therapy sessions, the first of which has been captured in a new university video.

Since Thursday evening, certified canine "therapists" and their human companions have taken over a corner of Fondren Library, offering support to anyone needing a break from the books during this season semester-end exams and final papers.

"I think it's great," says Rice student Dharini Natarajan in the video. "I just got done with a final and to come out and play with dogs that are this adorable . . . To have them do this for us is amazing."

For students like Justin Montes, the therapy is a nice reminder of life beyond the current exam stress. "Dogs, personally, remind me of home," he explains. "I miss my pets, so it's nice to have a feeling of home to get away from it all."

Led by Bellaire animal-therapy group Faithful Paws, the remaining dog sessions are scheduled for Saturday from 2 to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 5 to 10 p.m.

"We just been overwhelmed by how generous Faithful Paws has been," reports librarian Kerry Keck, who helped organize the event. "Apparently this is most enthusiastic response they have ever seen."

A lifelong fan of the domesticated canine, Brittney Ailyn Olivarez seems to speak for the majority of her fellow student participants, saying, "You know, there's something magical about just petting a dog."