04/17/2023
The SUNY Cortland University Police Department has a new four-legged friend on its team.
Meekah, an almost 15-week-old English Labrador retriever, is Cortland UPD’s first therapy dog. She will join UPD on daily calls, investigations, crisis incidents, special events and community outreach programs.
Her job: Be loveable.
“The University Police Department’s goal is to build a program to better assist with victims’ advocacy, mental health and trauma,” Chief of Police Mark DePaull said.
“Research has shown that the presence of therapy animals can decrease anxiety, improve mood and foster feelings of support and confidence.”
DePaull believes the eager K9 also will benefit officers and first responders’ well-being and emotional health.
The Therapy K9 Unit is expected to begin during the upcoming fall semester, making it the second officer-dog partnership on campus. Since 2018 Officer David Coakley and partner Red, a male German shorthair pointer, have formed an explosive detection and missing-person tracking K9 unit.
DePaull credits Officer Melissa Keelhar M ’10 as the driving force behind the new K9 recruit. She was first introduced to the idea while attending the National Sexual Assault Investigations Academy in Maryland. Keelhar went on to develop the concept and propose it to her command staff.
After further research, she identified the English Labrador retriever as the breed best suited for the job required on campus. She then found Summerhill Retrievers, a breeder in the area.
“It was Melissa’s hard work and dedication that brought all of the components together to form the new Therapy K9 Unit,” DePaull said. “Officer Keelhar was instrumental in locating a local breeder, authoring the department policy and acquiring the necessary equipment.”
The addition of Meekah, DePaull says, continues a core goal of the UPD to embrace community engagement.
Keelhar, who says she’s grown up with dogs her entire life, expects her new partner to make a difference at the university in a wide range of situations.
“Meekah’s job will be to provide emotional support to victims of crime, traumatic incidents', witnesses of crime, staff and officer well-being and support for other local first responders,” she said.
Having a K9 for a partner has other advantages besides working with the most popular member of the campus police department. After all her hard work to make a therapy dog on campus a reality, Keelhar was also allowed to name her new partner.
“I chose the name Meekah because I wanted it to be something that was unique and something that honored my heritage, being that Meekah would be a part of my family,” Keelhar said. “The name Meekah has ties to Native American culture as does my family. It means beautiful and intelligent.”
Therapy dogs can give psychological and physiological comfort to humans. Unlike other service dogs, they’re encouraged to interact with people while on duty, including petting. Meekah can expect a lot of love from Cortland and will be happy to give it right back.
Nicole Peppin, owner of Summerhill Retrievers, has worked before with families that have goals of therapy certification for their dog, but is still excited by the impact Meekah will have at the university.
“It is such an honor to even be considered for the opportunity to have one of my dogs be a part of such an amazing community initiative,” Peppin said.
Summerhill Retrievers describes itself as a “small family hobby breeder” dedicated to the happiness and comfort of the dogs it helps raise. Peppin says they only pair genetically clear, health-tested parents and believe in letting the dogs live normal lives with well-trusted human families.
Current training for Meekah consists of basic obedience and socialization. Once she’s 8-months-old, she’ll go to a training school for specialized therapy and advanced obedience. Keelhar says Meekah’s breed is known for a calm, friendly temperament that lets them get along with strangers, children and other dogs.
The duo has already been around campus to help Meekah socialize. So far, Keelhar says the experience has been excellent and that student comments have been overwhelmingly positive.