Police Therapy Dog
April 3, 2020
A new police K9 is ready to report for duty in Tyler County, West Virginia, but the coronavirus pandemic is keeping him largely on the sidelines.
A new police K9 is ready to report for duty in Tyler County, West Virginia, but the coronavirus pandemic is keeping him largely on the sidelines.
Buddy is a 6-month-old English Lab. He’s the newest member of the Tyler County Sheriff’s Office and he has a very special role.
“Mainly he’s going to be there for the children,” says Sgt. Mitch Corley, Buddy’s handler.
Buddy will be roaming the halls of the county’s schools to help bring the officers closer to the community.
The coronavirus pandemic has all of the schools empty, but this is giving Buddy’s handler time to get to know his partner. They’ve only been together for three weeks.
“It’s gave me some time to train more one on one with him and him to get used to me,” says Sgt. Corley. “I think it’s helped but I’m sure he can’t wait to get into the school.”
Buddy will be joining fellow Tyler County K9 Queso, but his work is not about finding criminals and will extend much farther than the classroom.
“We can go to the senior centers, we can go elsewhere,” says Sheriff Brian Weigle.