It addresses the common challenges of stress, anxiety, and feelings of isolation among university students, particularly Thai students. With a focus on fostering mental well-being, Furry Buddy aims to highlight the benefits of Animal-Assisted Activities (AAA), offering essential mental health support and comfort to students facing various stressors, especially during high-pressure times like exams. Through promoting animal companionship as a solution-oriented approach to emotional support and stress relief, Furry Buddy emphasizes the therapeutic benefits of therapy pets. By engaging in AAA interactions, individuals are provided with opportunities for emotional healing and connection. Through a multifaceted communication campaign and events like "Love Me, Love My Dog," the project endeavors to decrease stress levels, raise awareness about AAA, and ultimately enhance the overall mental well-being of the community, particularly among Thai students.

Abstract: To create livable communities, the mental well-being of residents, particularly university students, is crucial. "Furry Buddy" shows the potential of animal-assisted activities (AAA) to address stress and depression among Thai university students under the activity "Love me, Love my Dog".

Through a mixed-methods and strategy approach including quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews, the result shows that AAA has impacted on stress and depression levels among participants. Moreover, our thesis not only assesses its therapeutic benefits but also explores its role in enhancing social connections and a sense of belonging among participants.

By linking the concept of “Furry Buddy” with the notion of a livable community, this research emphasizes the importance of holistic approaches to community well-being. The findings contribute to the understanding of how initiatives like “Love me, Love my Dog” can contribute to the creation of supportive and inclusive environments where individuals can thrive emotionally and socially.

Through its exploration of AAA as a means of promoting mental health within a community context, “Furry Buddy” advocates for the integration of such initiatives into broader efforts to cultivate livable communities in society.