Sgt. Fuzz is on the job as his police department’s official ‘Cuddle Officer’
Many dogs are cuddly, especially puppies. Simply snuggling with a dog can make you feel so much better. This is why dogs make such great service and emotional support animals.
And while most dogs are trained for this role, one puppy has fallen into the role of emotional support animal at a Saint Paul, Minnesota, police department.
Meet Sergeant Fuzz
Known as Sergeant Fuzz, the cuddly German shepherd puppy was found as a stray along with his mother and his siblings at a local farm. Adopted by Officer Kathryn Smith of the Saint Paul Police Department, the puppy became popular with Smith’s coworkers after she brought him to work one day.
Therapy dogs at work
The department’s chief had been bringing his dog to work with him on Fridays to act as a support animal for his officers, and everyone thought it would be a good idea to bring a puppy in as well. This was mostly to help alleviate the stress that many police officers endure as part of their job.
Helping to alleviate stress
Sgt, Fuzz provides a perfect break for the officers to take their minds off of their job and focus on something more positive and happier. The five-month-old puppy has been more than happy to oblige and was hired on as the official “cuddle officer” for the department.
Working about 10 hours per week, Sgt. Fuzz greets staff, as well as plays and cuddles with them.
“We believe that in any professional, high-stress environment, you gotta take a few minutes to step away from that computer, step away from that report, and pet something,” Senior Commander John Lozoya told MPR News.
Getting trained to be a therapy animal
Sgt. Fuzz has not had any formal training, so the department has decided to enroll him in a therapy dog certification program. But that is for later when he is old enough. For now, his sweet disposition and friendly attitude are enough for his work at the department.
Dogs make great support animals, helping to lower blood pressure, and helping with heart health. Best of all, most dogs love the attention and are great at improving the mood of almost anyone they come across. It is their empathetic nature that makes them a good choice to act as a therapy animal.
Working with the community
As for Sgt. Fuzz, he loves all of the attention he has been getting. There are even plans for him to make regular appearances at a variety of community events sponsored by the police department.
To see what Sgt. Fuzz is up top, check out the Saint Paul Police Department’s Facebook page every Friday. You can find out more about the cuddly Sgt. Fuzz in the video below.
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H/T: Paw My Gosh, The Dodo