A Treat to All He Serves | Palatka Daily News, Palatka, Florida

Therapy K-9 provides comfort in people’s darkest moments

Putnam County Sheriff’s Office K-9 therapy dog Bailey peeks his head out from under a table Thursday.
Putnam County Sheriff’s Office K-9 therapy dog Bailey visits with Moseley Elementary School students Monday.
Putnam County Sheriff’s Office K-9 therapy dog Bailey shakes handler Kim Goad’s hand for a treat Thursday afternoon.
Positively Putnam FL

A special-trained, fluffy deputy is helping make people’s days a little less ruff.

K-9 Bailey works for treats as the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office’s therapy dog, spending his days cheering up children and making people feel safe.

Victim Advocate Kim Goad became the dog’s handler two weeks ago after his previous handler left the agency. In December, Goad and Bailey will go to training together.

But Bailey was sworn in to office last year and wears a badge and a vest that says, “Free Hugs.”

“He works with anybody, anybody who needs some lovins (sic),” Goad said.

Earlier this week, Bailey visited children at Moseley Elementary School because students lost a classmate and a school employee within the past two weeks.

“This fourth grade class needed some help because they were struggling. And so, Bailey and I went in … and we just kind of let the kids set the pace,” Goad said. “And they started out kind of slow, but at the end, we all wound up on the (floor).”

Goad said the therapy dog also works with domestic violence victims. She recalled one incident where a victim would not speak to advocates about what had happened.

“Bailey just so happened to be my last Hail Mary. I was like, ‘I don’t know what else to do,’” she said.

She said when the victim saw Bailey, the tension broke.

“After that, we were able to work with her and get her calmed down. And (Bailey) made an impact on her, as well as our case,” Goad said.

Bailey, a rescue dog from Brevard County, graduated from Paws & Stripes College. He later advanced into a training program to become a Law Enforcement & Multidiscipline Crimes Against Children Therapy Dog.

“It’s amazing the impact he has on the people around him,” Victim Advocate Kim Daley said.

The advocates said Bailey wants to see people and be seen any chance he gets.

“He knows when you put the vest on. He knows it’s time to work,” Daley said.

Bailey stays at the sheriff’s office with Goad until he has an assignment, but spokeswoman Allison Waters-Merritt said he helps deputies in the office, too.

“He is based in with the detectives because that’s where the victim advocates are, and they’re the ones who see the worst of the worst. … And to have Bailey there (as) just part of their natural environment, they don’t think anything of it. They’re just throwing the toy, but they’re getting benefits of it as well,” she said.

Bailey works for treats, love and affection, but he likes going to work, the advocates said.

“(He’s) really helped us a lot, too,” Daley said. “Things are stressful enough right now, and the topics are hard to deal with. And what we’re seeing is hard to deal with. Bailey doesn’t really realize how much he’s helping all of us, too.”