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Photo courtesy of Norfolk County Sheriff's Office. Sheriff Patrick McDermott (left) and dog handler Officer Michael Monaghan pose for a picture with Eddie, the comfort dog.
4-15-2022 8:31pm
Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office Welcomes New Comfort Dog K9 Officer
Darlene Cancell
Editor
Thanks to the Norfolk County Sheriff's Office for contributing this news to Westwood Minute.
DEDHAM, MA – Sheriff Patrick McDermott announced on Friday, April 15, 2022 that the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office has brought in a new colleague to its ranks, and this one has already jumped in paws-first. Eddie, a new comfort therapy dog, was recently added to the office’s K9 unit, where he will be deployed to provide comfort and assurance to residents of Norfolk County assisted by his handler and partner, Officer Michael Monaghan.
“It’s a reality of our line of work that we often interact with people who have been through a lot,” said Sheriff McDermott. “Comfort dogs like Eddie are able to help people feel a little calmer and get some much needed comfort and reassurance. Eddie has only been on the job for less than a week, and he’s already making a huge difference to residents across Norfolk County.”
The Sheriff’s Office held a contest among area kindergarten classes to come up with a name for their newest K9 colleague, and over 1,500 submissions from 35 schools were received. In the end, Eddie was chosen as a combination of a few favorites – Teddy, Edward, and Buddy – which were submitted by kindergarteners at Jefferson Elementary and Parmenter Elementary Schools in Franklin; Wollaston Elementary and Lincoln Hancock Schools in Quincy, and Elm St. and Old Post Road Schools in Walpole. The Sheriff’s Office and Eddie will be celebrating with the winning classes, and he will soon be touring around the county to visit with all of the classes that participated.
Comfort dogs like Eddie are trained to help support people’s mental health. They can be particularly helpful in recovering from moments of trauma, such as those experienced by first responders, victims, and others, but are also used to provide a calming presence to anyone who wishes to pet or interact with them.
Photo courtesy of Norfolk County Sheriff's Office. Pictured above is Eddie, the comfort dog, and newest k9 officer with the Norfolk County Sheriff's Office.Eddie underwent a rigorous training through Professional Canine Services out of Middleboro and received certifications in as a Therapy Dog and Emotional Support K-9. He is a lab mix who was rescued from a shelter in Florida before being brought to Massachusetts for training and employment.
Eddie will be visiting schools, senior residences, hospitals, and other locations throughout Norfolk County, as well as being on call to respond in moments of crisis or trauma.
The Sheriff’s Office has created an Instagram account for Eddie for anyone interested in following his adventures throughout the county. He can be found on Instagram at @EddieTheComfortDog.
