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Cook County therapy dogs get certified
Illinois just launched a first-in-the-nation program using therapy dogs in police work. Terrence shares the story.
COOK COUNTY, Ill. - Illinois officials have launched a first-of-its-kind statewide certification program for law enforcement therapy dogs, aiming to prepare trained canine teams to respond to crisis situations and support communities statewide.
The Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board partnered with the Cook County Sheriff’s Office to create the program, which includes a three-day course with classroom instruction, field training and a final team assessment.
The certification comes as more departments use therapy dogs during high stress calls, with state leaders setting standards and expanding access beyond individual agencies.
How the program works:
The training builds on Illinois’ crisis intervention team model, which focuses on de-escalation and communication during mental health emergencies.
Officials say the course prepares officers and dogs to respond safely to people in crisis while also supporting first responders after difficult calls.
Once certified, teams are added to a statewide system that allows them to be deployed to areas facing large-scale emergencies.
Where the dogs are working:
Some therapy dog teams have already been deployed to schools in Chatham, Harvey, Summit and Chicago, as well as to locations outside Illinois after major incidents.
Agencies are also encouraged to bring the dogs to hospitals and nursing homes to work with patients and residents.
"I personally have seen when a dog, a therapy dog, comes to a nursing facility, it changes the entire dynamic," Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart said.
From rescue to response:
The therapy dogs come from the sheriff’s Tails of Redemption program, which trains individuals in custody to work with rescued dogs.
"Many of them had been obviously out and abandoned for quite some time," Dart said. "One of the dogs in particular was Trooper. Trooper was found chained to a pole pretty much in the middle of nowhere. If someone hadn’t come across him, he would’ve died of starvation. So these dogs run that gamut, they’re brought here, they’re given another chance at life."
What's next:
State officials plan to expand the program with a goal of a fully operational certification system by summer 2026, with more trained teams added each year.
The Source: The information in this article was reported by FOX Chicago's Terrence Lee.