Atascadero Police K-9s
December 18, 2020
Today the Atascadero Police Department’s K-9 Unit will receive an unexpected holiday donation. The owners of two businesses in town, Glenn’s Repair and the Grocery Outlet, have arranged for a check presentation ceremony to take place in front of the Atascadero Police Department, located at 5505 El Camino Real.
Geoff and Kate Auslen, the owners of Glenn’s Repair, together with Pete Novak and Theresa Hughes who are the owners of Grocery Outlet of Atascadero, reached out to the Atascadero Police Department and graciously coordinated efforts to present the K-9s with a check for $5,000. Due to the cancellation of the Annual K-9 Wine & Dine Dinner this year, they wanted to find a way to continue support of the K-9s. The City of Atascadero and the Atascadero Police Department are extremely thankful for both Glenn’s Repair and Grocery Outlet for assisting the K-9 Program with this donation.
“It’s the least we can do during such a difficult time for our community and the money will assist a local program that will continue to keep our neighborhoods safe,” said Auslen. Glenn’s Repair has been an active member of our community for over 52 years, with recent involvement as a part of Parents for Joy, a non-profit parent group under the United Cerebral Palsy of San Luis Obispo County, which recently opened the all-inclusive Joy Playground in Atascadero.
Pete Novak and Theresa Hughes have also been supporters of the community of Atascadero and equally share in helping to keep the community safe and investing in the K-9 program. Grocery Outlet has been a part of the community for the past eight years. Novak and Hughes bring extensive expertise in the industry to the city, with over 40 years in the grocery business.
The primary objective of the Atascadero Police Department K-9 Unit is to reduce hazard exposure to uniformed patrol officers as they carry out their public safety mission. The Atascadero K-9 Unit is overseen by Sergeant John Taylor and currently has two officer handlers, Corporal Chris Hester and Corporal Chris Hall, who serve together with their respective service dogs, Pit and Luke.
Most Recent News
Former Victoria man’s diabetic alert dog helps him get back to life
When Luke Hengen’s diabetes worsened in his early twenties, it stripped him of the outdoor activities where the country kid felt at home. Countless wilderness adventures and years of hard-fought football games took a toll on his body, to the point where he could no longer sense when his blood sugar was too high or […]
Students Get Therapy Dog
When middle school students return to class on Jan. 11, they’ll find a new face at the door: Daisy. Daisy is a therapy dog and the personal pet of Rob Kreger, principal of the Rock L. Butler Middle School. The five-year-old golden retriever is not a school pet or mascot, but rather a working dog […]
Therapy Dogtor
Last March, Caroline Benzel, a third-year medical student, began to notice the stress and discomfort her nurse friends were feeling from the pressures of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. “[Personal protective equipment] can be really rough on the skin,” Benzel, 31, tells PEOPLE. Benzel and her 3-year-old Rottweiler, Loki (who’s also a therapy dog) hatched a […]
Therapy Dog Pups
When Stanley the miniature fox terrier’s owner passed away, the little dog started a ‘paw-some’ new role – bringing puppy love to some of the Gold Coast’s oldest residents. After Carinity Cedarbrook Diversional Therapist Julianne Staff adopted Stanley, he began visiting the aged care community at Mudgeeraba as a therapy dog. Therapy dogs help to […]
Puppy Cams
A nonprofit is providing an unusual form of therapy for those on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic – puppy cams! “You spend five minutes with a puppy and try not to smile,” said registered nurse Robin Lingg Lagrone. Lingg Lagrone says watching little furballs wag their tails and prance on their paws helps […]
Pet Committee
When Moore County’s school doors were abruptly closed earlier in 2020, two- and four-legged volunteers from the Moore County Citizens’ Pet Responsibility Committee (PRC) were in their 12th year of presenting a six-session Pet Responsibility Education Program for fourth-graders. The PRC quickly shifted gears and placed its program materials online as part of a home […]