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Golden Healers CEO Mike Carlson, left, watches over a dog while a Utah Valley Student pets it Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, in Orem.

Jacob Nielson, Daily Herald

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Utah Valley University junior Natasha Lowe pets a therapy dog Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, in Orem.

Jacob Nielson, Daily Herald

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A Utah Valley University student pets a therapy dog Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, in Orem.

Jacob Nielson, Daily Herald

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Utah Valley University students pet a therapy dog Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, in Orem.

Jacob Nielson, Daily Herald

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A therapy dogs is shown Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, at Utah Valley University in Orem.

Jacob Nielson, Daily Herald

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Utah Valley University students pet a therapy dog Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, in Orem.

Jacob Nielson, Daily Herald

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A Utah Valley University student pets a therapy dog Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, in Orem.

Jacob Nielson, Daily Herald

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When Mike Carlson was in need of a lifesaving open-heart surgery and lacked the money to pay for it, the Utah community rallied around him, raising $45,000 in a handful of days and enabling him to complete the procedure Sept. 8. 

Carlson, the CEO of Golden Healers, a nonprofit therapy dog organization, was recovering from his surgery when news broke that Charlie Kirk had been assassinated in front of thousands of people at Utah Valley University. 

Inspired by the support and generosity he had received, Carlson realized he needed to help. 

“I knew at that moment that I needed to get better, get out of the hospital right away so that I could come down here and do our job that we do, which is to bring the therapy dog work to the community,” he said. 

Just over a week after open-heart surgery, Carlson was back with his team on campus in Orem, offering healing to a grieving and anxious student body as it returned to campus. 

Golden Healers volunteers held four separate sessions Wednesday through Friday, offering anyone who passed by the chance to pet or cuddle one of eight available dogs. 

“My dogs definitely helped to inspire me to be here,” Carlson said. “They’re just a healing power and influence in my life, and I know they can do that for others.” 

Dogs’ healing ability is rooted in the human-animal bond, according to Carlson. Canines are nonjudgmental and offer unconditional love to humans, he said, offering people who may have a more difficult time opening up to humans a chance to open up to a canine instead. 

“It typically will increase your oxytocin levels,” Carlson said. “Just when you see a dog, it immediately makes you smile and brings happiness to you, which reduces your stress and lowers your cholesterol.”

The dogs on hand Thursday afternoon appeared content and were friendly to passing strangers — many of whom enjoyed their company.

Golden Healers averaged 30 to 50 visitors at a time, Carlson said, and many students lingered for several minutes, holding a canine or sitting next to one and petting it. 

“It’s nice to relax a little because things have been a bit chaotic,” sophomore Elle Preston said. “One of the dogs actually looks like one of my old dogs, so it was almost a little bit of closure. It was kind of nice to hold it and give it some love.” 

An otherwise reverent and solemn tone from students and faculty wearing green heart stickers on campus was replaced with joy and laughter from those who stopped to see the dogs. 

“It makes it a bit easier to get through the day because I don’t think coming back to school has been too difficult for me; it’s just been exhausting,” Preston said. “So having the dogs here just makes it a little bit lighter.” 

“I love dogs so they’re very therapeutic, so it was just calming to come and pet a dog in between classes,” junior Natasha Lowe added.

Carlson hopes that the service can help students feel good about being back in school and relieve some of the burden of keeping up with homework and classes.

On a personal note, Carlson said he is recovering well and feels indebted to those who helped him get the heart surgery.

“Because of that, I was able to do this today,” Carlson said. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to do that. I think the community can give themselves a pat on the back for being able to provide this opportunity.”