Charlie is, by every definition, a very good boy.
For the past several years, the 14-year-old yellow lab has been working as a therapy dog with St. John Ambulance. Over the past year, he’d visited the Guelph Police Service’s downtown headquarters to receive pats, treats and love from officers and support staff.
But now, Charlie is hanging up the St. John Ambulance bandana that indicated he was on the job and is settling into retirement.
“It’s been so rewarding for the both of us. I think he loves it. I love it,” Matt Masotti, Charlie’s owner, told CBC News during one last visit by Charlie to the police station.
Masotti adopted Charlie 12 years ago from the Guelph Humane Society and he quickly noticed people were drawn to his pup.
“A lot of dogs get nice reactions from people, but he seemed to get them fairly often,” he said. “So the idea of [Charlie] becoming a therapy dog somehow came into my life and I signed up.”
Visits to police station
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, he and Charlie would visit people living at the long-term care home Norfolk Manor. After the pandemic, Masotti was told about a pilot project that was being started at the police service and he agreed they could have a placement there.
Staff Sgt. Tina Ryan runs the program, which started as a pilot in June 2023. Until Charlie’s retirement, three dogs in total visit would the officers and staff, including Lola, a five-year-old petite golden doodle and Charlie’s partner on rounds.
Ryan said they had a set time each week around a shift change where Charlie and Lola would come in to see people.
“It’s very positive. Everyone welcomes them with open arms and a lot of the people that get to see them almost every week, the regular staff members, have treats in their desk,” she said.
The program is based on similar ones run in other police services in Canada and the U.S., and Ryan said it’s a way to help staff, in particular those who work in the call centre, to decompress from what can be a stressful job.
“When people call the police, they’re at their worst most of the time, unfortunately. And we’re taking that burden on,” Ryan said.
Having the dogs stop by is “just a tool to help with everyone’s well-being and a visit with a dog — most of us are dog owners or pet lovers — and so they make it very easy because they’re so sweet and kind,” she said.
Ryan holds a special place in her heart for Charlie, though.
“I used to have a yellow lab just like Charlie. His demeanour is so calm, cool and collected. So he’s the mature dog that comes and visits. Loves back pets. Very, very gentle, kind dog.”
Charlie, a 14-year-old yellow lab, has retired from his work as a St. John Ambulance therapy dog. Charlie and his owner Matt Masotti visited a long-term care home in Guelph, Ont., before the pandemic. They’ve spent the past year as part of a pilot project at the Guelph Police Service to visit with officers and support staff. But now, Charlie is retiring. CBC KW’s Kate Bueckert went to meet the good boy.
‘It’s so good for everyone’
Lola’s owner is Lynn Harrison and she’s also the co-ordinator of the St. John Ambulance therapy dog program in Guelph and Wellington County.
St. John Ambulance says on its website that the therapy dog program is a way to connect with people in the community who could use companionship or a chance to relieve some stress. Studies also indicate interacting with animals can help lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety and it benefits people working in high-stress environments to decrease their cortisol levels.
Harrison said there are days when she will walk Lola and Masotti will walk Charlie into a room, and they can see the stress leave people’s bodies.
“I don’t know how long it lasts, but for that little release, like everyone knows for mental wellness, just to have that little, even that breath to just let go and release all that stress,” Harrison said.
“It doesn’t matter how long it is. It’s so good for everyone.”
When Charlie arrived at the police station, Lola wiggled all over as soon as she spotted him, and Harrison said she knows her dog will miss the yellow lab.
“They’re always a pair,” she said, adding they’re always looking for volunteers for this and similar programs. “I do feel that she’ll notice that there’s something missing and she also loves the handler Matt, so I know she’ll miss him as well.”
Retirement plans: ‘Get lots of pets’
On Charlie’s last official day, people at the police station gave him extra treats and presents, and a card from everyone.
“That was really nice and he got to say goodbye to a lot of people that he’s come to know and like,” Masotti said.
As for retirement, there aren’t any grand plans.
“Floop around on the grass, get lots of pets at home,” Masotti said.
“He’s a pretty jolly guy. He spends a lot of time outside and he’s very people-centric, so he goes up to a lot of people because of what he does here. He’ll just go up to random people in public and expect to get the same treatment, and he usually does.”