THERAPY K-9 PROGRAM

Benefits

Both citizens and students can experience positive mental and physical health benefits by interacting with a comfort dog. Petting and interacting with the dog is a non-threatening, non-judgmental way of helping break down mental and emotional barriers.

Mental Health Benefits

• Decrease in stress and anxiety, experienced from post-traumatic stress disorder
• Decreases loneliness and aggressive behaviors
• Increases in socialization with an outward focus, including opportunities for laughter and a sense of happiness and well-being
• Increases in spirit, self-esteem, and feeling of acceptance, enabling a patient to further participate in mental and physical therapy; to be more involved in group activities, and to accept social and emotional support
• Provides a sense of belonging and gives unconditional love.

Physical Benefits

• Decreases the stress hormone cortisol
• Improvement in motor skills including standing balance, wheelchair, and other physical skills
• Increases in hormones associated with health and feeling of well-being
• Encourages communication
• Helps children overcome speech and emotional disorders
• Increased focus and attention through hands-on interaction

Daily Duties of a Comfort Dog

1. Daily duties (extension of handler)
2. Public events (National Night Out, Shop with a Cop, Graduation, Downtown Night)
3. Community outreach and engagement
4. Major/traumatic incidents
5. School literacy programs, career fair, and demonstrations
6. Grief loss and trauma (Both within the Police Department and schools)
7. Natural disaster incidents
8. Victim forensic interviews
9. Criminal investigations / interviews
10. Crisis intervention
11. Medical facility visits (hospitals, nursing homes, VA clinics, etc.)
12. Staff wellness