Therapy Dog Oakley
July 31, 2020
The Secaucus Police Department announced Friday it has launched a first-of-its-kind therapy dog program, where a therapy dog — not a certified police K9 — will be used to enhance community relations.
Meet Oakley, a golden retriever. Don’t expect Oakley to sniff out drugs, locate a bomb or take down a suspect. But he will comfort a child whose home police have been called to for domestic violence. He will cheer up senior citizens who live in Secaucus’ many senior homes.
And he will greet the public at street fairs and other community events in town.
He is not a trained police K9, but rather a certified therapy dog trained to provide affection and comfort to people, often in settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, schools, libraries or disaster areas.
Oakley will accompany Ensmann during his normal patrol duties and will be used at public events, such as street fairs, concerts, parks and the newly implemented “park and walk” detail. This is where Secaucus police officers have been parking their cars and walking around Plaza Center to engage with businesses. It’s something the department started doing in May.
Additionally, Oakley will be used to provide emotional support when police follow up with victims of traumatic events such as domestic violence, house fires or even a witness to a violent crime, especially if that witness is a child.
Ensmann and Oakley will be visiting local senior citizen housing facilities and the VA Clinic on Meadowlands Parkway. Additionally, Oakley will be used to provide comfort when family members are grieving over the death of a close family member.
Therapy dogs are used in police departments in California, Ohio and Massachusetts, but this is the first known use of a therapy dog in a New Jersey police department, said Secaucus Police Chief Dennis Miller.
“When I was sworn in as chief of police I vowed to enhance community relations and I hold true to that vow,” said Chief Miller. “Adding a canine to our force is something I have dreamed about for a long time,” said Secaucus Mayor Mike Gonnelli. “Make sure you say hello when you see Oakley!”
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 […]