Category: Heroic & Inspiring

Auto Added by WPeMatico

Posted on

First Therapy Dog To Work At A Police Station In Iowa Passes Away At 13

The state of Iowa’s first ever therapy dog to work at a police station has crossed the rainbow bridge on Monday, December 02, the Iowa State University Police (ISUPD) shares in an Instagram post.

The therapy dog, a Golden Retriever named Zosia, was originally born in Poland but lived in Iron Hill Retrievers in Delmar, IA for the first five years of her life.

Her career as a therapy dog began in October 2017 after going through rigorous training.

“Zosia began volunteering at multiple organizations in Story County and warmed the hearts of many,” ISUPD shared.

And it was on March of 2019 when she finally became the first therapy dog to work at a police station in the state of Iowa.

She worked with ISUPD for over five years before retiring in May of this year.

In ISUPD’s heartfelt message to Zosia, they revealed how the pooch touched the lives of thousands of community members and how “her kind and caring soul helped so many.”

“The majority of her time was spent comforting individuals working through mental health related concerns,” the Police Department shares.

“She responded to crisis calls, visited classrooms and residence halls, helped with mental health trainings, greeted incoming students at orientation, and supported individuals who came to talk about the difficult things they were experiencing.”

“She loved on people so well,” ISUPD Mental Health Advocate Supervisor and Zosia’s owner, Kinsey Hauser told the Iowa State Daily. “It didn’t matter who you are, what you’d gone through, she didn’t care. She loved everyone the same.”

Aside from being a therapy dog, ISUPD also shares how Zosia was the “best mom”.

“She had a few litters of puppies and multiple were donated to service dog organizations,” ISUPD reveals.

Zosia is reportedly survived by Hauser and her family, her grandson Zebediah, and great granddaughters Sydni and Lena.

“Zosia will be profoundly missed, fondly remembered, and forever cherished,” ISUPD wrote.

“Her legacy lives on through her grandchildren and the work they do at the Iowa State University Police Department.”

Posted on

On His First Walk After A Major Surgery, Retired K9 Dog Locates And Rescues Missing Man

Retirement didn’t stop a retired police dog after it located and rescued a missing person in East Sussex, England on his first ever walk since having major surgery.

The German Shepherd, named Bear, reportedly found the man in the forest on November 28 while being walked by owner, Julia Pope, a former police officer, The Guardian reveals.

What made the rescue special was that Bear, who was on his first ever walk two weeks after getting surgery to remove two benign tumors, was also celebrating his 12th birthday on the same day!

But such celebration did not stop Bear from locating and alerting his owner to a man in “dense undergrowth” while on their walk.

The Thin Blue Paw Foundation, a national charity that supports serving and retired police dogs across the UK, reveals on a Facebook post, “Unbeknownst to RPD Bear, the man was a vulnerable missing person who officers had been searching for without success.”

Pope tells The Guardian that Bear immediately “went into work mode” after it sensed the lost individual.

Recalling the incident, Pope explains, “[He] then dragged us to it, where he located and alerted us to a vulnerable man. I’m not sure he would have survived the night as it was extremely cold and almost dark at that point with no one else in the vicinity.”

The dog owner adds that Bear lead the way and helped the man back to an area where he could coordinate with local officers and reunite with his loved ones.

Pope describes the whole encounter as an “amazing stroke of luck”.

“RPD Bear, you’re a true hero, showing us that even in retirement, you can still save lives,” the Thin Blue Paw Foundation wrote.

Bear served with Sussex Police Dog Unit for seven years and was adopted by Pope in 2020 after his retirement.

In 2023, the retired police dog had to get emergency surgery due to having four herniated discs in his back, which caused him collapse. For this, he was supported by the Thin Blue Paw Foundation.

Posted on

Colorado Community Steps Up And Replaces Senior Dog’s Stolen Wheelchair

A Colorado woman is thankful for her community after they came together to replace her senior dog’s stolen wheelchair.

In an interview with CBS News on November 18, Megan Caligiuri of Englewood reveals how her senior’s dog wheelchair got stolen and how her community responded to the theft.

Caligiuri said that she has owned a rescued Schnauzer mix, named Griff, for almost 15 years. According to her, she and her dog have always been active – they travel the country and go on 10-mile hikes.

Naturally, as Griff got older, the trips became shorter.

And while Griff is a little bit energetic for his age, he can no longer walk without assistance.

So, in order to still be able to take Griff on adventures (no matter how short they are), Caligiuri bought him a dog wheelchair that helps with the pooch’s weakened hind legs.

The wheelchair was a game changer for Griff, Caligiuri said. “Someone saw him trucking around in the snow and was like, ‘He’s such an inspiration!”

However, on the night of November 18, someone sadly stole the senior pooch’s wheels.

Caligiuri explained, “I take them off after every walk. I leave them outside because they’re dirty. He rolls around through stuff.”

“The next morning, he’s pretty jazzed for his next walk. I go outside and they’re gone. I have no faith left in humanity that someone would steal a disabled dog’s wheelchair,” Caligiuri said.

After the robbery, Caligiuri filed a police report and posted about it on the neighborhood social app, Nextdoor, hoping someone can help her find her dog’s missing wheels.

Even though they’re small, dog wheelchairs are not affordable. So, Caligiuri wanted to get back her dog’s wheels.

However, what Caligiuri didn’t expect was the reaction from her community when they saw her post.

“Over 80 people responded, offering donations, resources, and support,” Caligiuri reveals after saying that it was heartwarming to see that much compassion.

She also reveals, “Someone said they saw a guy on a bike, with what looked like the wheels, serving as a trailer.”

Now, the news of Griff’s stolen wheelchair has spread across the community.

And that’s how Kathryn Groenewold with Paw Prosper, the parent company of Walkin’ Pets, found out.

Walkin’ Pets is a company that offers wheelchairs and support products to improve pet mobility. And Groenewold said the story of Griff’s stolen wheelchair left her team heartbroken.

So, Groenewold and her team got to work and hand-delivered Griff’s brand new wheels on Thursday, November 21.

“Our team works very hard to make sure that each chair is perfectly fitting for the dog,” said Groenewold.

“We hope that Griff and Megan are going to be able to enjoy more good days together as a result.”

Now, Caligiuri and Griff can continue on with their adventures and enjoy their walks thanks to the kindness of their community.

Caligiuri tells CBS News, “I feel so overwhelmed by the kindness of people. This is how he gets around and how he enjoys life and experiences life.”

“My faith in humanity has been restored. Thank you, everyone, so much.”