Contact: Nathan Lederman 508-584-8120
BROCKTON – The Plymouth County Comfort Dogs Program recently completed training for three additional dogs in a Friendly Find / Tracking program, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz has announced.
Friendly Find / Tracking training is a specialized, compassionate training for dogs tracking vulnerable, at-risk individuals who may be lost or wandering as a result of various cognitive conditions.
“Every life is precious, and every moment counts, especially when searching for a vulnerable person that has gone missing,” District Attorney Tim Cruz said. “With this training completed, these comfort dogs now have a reliable method to quickly locate missing individuals and assist to prevent potentially dangerous situations and reduce the strain on local law enforcement resources. The Friendly Find / Tracking training provides invaluable peace of mind to families, caregivers, and communities.”
Sgt. Dan Dooley and comfort dog Teddy from the Norwell Police Department, Officer Brian Wiksten and comfort dog Millie from the Middleboro Police Department, and Officer Brian Hurley and comfort dog Mabel from the Kingston Police Department all participated in the Winter Session of the Friendly Find / Tracking Academy, which took place from January 5 to February 13 of this year under the direction of trainers Charles Young and Patrick Martin of Professional Canine Services in Middleboro. Eight comfort dogs from our program have now undergone the Friendly Find / Tracking training.
DA Cruz developed the Plymouth County Comfort Dogs Program in 2021 to provide additional services and resources to our communities. The Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office provides a grant to Plymouth County Police Departments to assist with costs associated with acquiring, training and caring for their comfort dog. Both the handler and the comfort dog become members of the Plymouth County Comfort Dogs Program and are required to undergo all necessary trainings in the certification process to qualify as a comfort dog.