Therapy Dogs Bring Soothing Presence to Brooklyn Center Police, Fire Depts.
The therapy dogs in the Brooklyn Center police and fire departments are like any other staff member.
Brooklyn, a golden retriever that was donated to the city, has “been a very welcome part of our fire family,” said Brooklyn Center Fire Chief Todd Berg. “She comes and goes everywhere with me. She is involved with fire calls.”
Meanwhile, a second retriever named Rex is very much at home in the Brooklyn Center Police Department. He and Brooklyn are brother and sister.
“Almost every single call or place that I go to, [Rex will] go with,” said Brooklyn Center Police Cmdr. Tony Gruenig. “Rex is a very laid back, easy going, kind of like a Scooby Doo kind of dog.”
The pair provide a soothing presence in otherwise stressful situations.
“She is all about getting and giving the attention that a therapy dog would,” Berg said.
He might take Brooklyn to an emergency situation like a fire to provide comfort to the homeowners.
“At a fire scene, it’s obviously a very traumatic, bad day for those people,” Berg said. “I’ll bring her out and you know, she’ll stay with those people.”
Gruenig, who oversees Brooklyn Center’s SWAT team, doesn’t take Rex to calls that may put him in danger. That said, he goes out on police calls, helping to break the ice between police officers and the community.
Rex, a therapy dog, gets a treat from Brooklyn Center Police Cmdr. Tony Gruenig.
Helping Out at the Station
These dogs also provide a helping snout back at their respective stations.
“There’s a lot of emotional toll that goes along with being a firefighter,” Berg said. “Brooklyn does her job and really changes — you know — lowers the anxiety, lowers the blood pressure.”
According to Gruenig, Rex recently helped a group of shook-up firefighters after a scuffle with a suspect.
“We went to one of the local hotels – had to take somebody into custody and they resisted,” Gruenig said. “The officers got scuffed up a little bit. They got the suspect in the car, sent him down to jail. And then they went back to the police department to kind of de-escalate the scene. The paramedics met them there at the police department, so I met them over there. Brought Rex out … I think it was a very helpful little situation.”
Even these hardworking dogs need a break from work once in a while. The got one this week as they celebrated their second birthdays.
“So they’re two years old, which is what? Fourteen in dog years I think,” Gruenig said, before Rex and Brooklyn chowed down on a Frosty Paws frozen dog treat.
It’s rare occasion — each dog only gets a Frosty Paws on their birthday. But it’s a well-deserved gift, considering what they give back to the community.
“Brooklyn has made a positive impact, just about everywhere she goes,” Berg said.
See also: Brooklyn Center Police and Fire Receive Emotional Support Dogs
