Handler Krista Levar  and "Max" in training session – photos courtesy RCMP

Prince George, B.C. –  There are three new caseworkers with the Prince George RCMP’s Victim Services Unit.

Grimmus, Max and Chara, bring a cold nose and warm heart to help  victims crime and trauma.

The three are therapy dogs, and  are part of the K-9  Crisis Response team with Victim Services in Prince George and have been  in service since September.

Victim Services  Coordinator  for the Prince George RCMP  is Krista Levar.  She  had heard of therapy dogs being used by other police forces and did some research on how  to make it happen.  There were no resources for such a program, at least not until  Kirby MacInnes from Pawsitive Horizons came along.  “  When Kirby MacInnes from Pawsitive Horizons approached me to offer training and handling services free of charge, we jumped at the opportunity" says Levar.

Grimmus ( in photo at right)  is a long haired Sheppard partnered / handled by MacInnes.  He is a certified therapy dog and is the most experienced of the three. 

Max is a Golden Retriever-Lab cross, who loves spending his days at the RCMP Detachment's Victim Services office.  He is partnered / handled by unit coordinator, Krista Levar.  And Chara, partnered / handled by Victim Services volunteer Ruth Walter, is a cute little trainee who brings a sweet and loving nature to the team.

All three  dogs  are either rescue or foster  dogs, one of which came from the local  SPCA.

Superintendent Eric Stubbs says the  dogs are  already having a positive impact  with  victims of  crime.

On Max’s first day on the job,  he comforted an upset woman.  When he entered the room, he immediately went to the woman and placed his head on her lap, positively impacting the woman immediately.   While the woman provided a statement to officers, Max remained at her side, putting her at ease.  When the interview was over, the woman asked if she could come back and visit  Max.

In another case, a young child victim was having difficulty communicating with investigators, so Grimmus was brought in to assist.  After spending some time with Grimmus, the child began disclosing useful information about the case to him.

Other benefits of the K-9 Crisis Response include:

• Help normalize traumatic situations;
• Help ground people who are upset;
• Act as a bridge to communication;
• Have the capacity to reduce blood pressure in victims;
• Reduce isolation for people, particularly people who struggle to communicate such as children or persons with disabilities.

"As an added bonus, the dogs are also goodwill ambassadors" says Levar.  "When I'm with one of the dogs in their vests, people feel comfortable talking to me and petting the dogs.  I feel like every time I leave the office I have an opportunity to connect with people that may not otherwise know about the work we do in Victim Services.  That's just amazing and so exciting." 

Prince George RCMP Victim Services is the first Northern BC policing agency to bring therapy dogs into their work.