LITTLETON — Chief Matthew Pinard and the Littleton Police Department are pleased to announce that their department has grown by four paws.
Rhett, the newest member of the Littleton Police Department, is a six-year-old chocolate lab who is working on his certification to become a comfort dog. Rhett is the personal pet of Detective Megan Wodzinski, who is the school resource officer and offered to get him certified for the comfort program.
Rhett and Detective Wodzinski have attended several basic trainings and have been given the green light to start his on-the-job training. As part of the training, Rhett will be observed over the course of 10 visits by the Alliance of Therapy Dogs to be a fully certified Canine Good Citizen.
“Our goal with promoting Rhett to a comfort dog in the department is two-fold,” Chief Pinard said. “We hope the program will offer emotional support and comfort for students and staff in the schools, as well as provides another opportunity for us to connect with our community.”
Comfort dogs have been shown to reduce stress, anxiety and feelings of loneliness. They can also serve as a calming presence in times of crisis or trauma. The comfort dog program aims to provide emotional support and comfort to students, staff and the school community. Rhett will be regularly accessible to all schools and age groups in the district, and can be available even on days that he is not physically present in the schools.
“Rhett has always had an air of comfort and love that surrounds him,” Detective Wodzinski said. “The idea to get him certified and let him give all that love to students and staff is one that we hope benefits everyone who needs support in our district.”
To learn more about the importance of comfort dogs and the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, click here.
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