October 23, 2024

With October being Comfort Dog Ryan’s birthday month, we wanted to take some time to give you all a glimpse into the life of a law enforcement comfort dog!

Comfort Dog Ryan, who began his career at SPD in July of 2022, has continued to shine in his role as a comfort dog with the Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Unit (SAU). Paired with an SAU detective, his primary role is to sit with adult and juvenile survivors of sexual assault and abuse during the interview process, offering love and comfort as they navigate the system in pursuit of justice. He is a gentle, sweet-natured boy who excels at his job.

He loves making friends with Seattle community members and has blossomed in his role as SPD’s first ever comfort dog.  

Here are some highlights that Ryan’s handler shared with us about Ryan’s work:

He recently met with a young survivor at the courthouse to support her during her courtroom tour, and then stayed with her as she practiced giving testimony on the witness stand. This brave young survivor will be testifying against her caregivers in an upcoming child abuse/neglect case and will be able to have Ryan with her throughout the entirety of the trial.

He sat with a 16-year-old survivor for five hours during their courtroom testimony in a trial against a parent in a domestic violence assault case. This was Ryan’s first time sitting with a witness during their testimony in court and he once again proved how well-suited he is to this important work.  

In a full circle moment, Ryan spent time with a juvenile survivor as she faced her abuser in the courtroom. Not only did Ryan stay by the survivor’s side before and during the defendant’s sentencing hearing, but he also walked with her to the witness stand and stayed with her as she read her survivor impact statement to the judge. Ryan was already a familiar, safe space for this survivor, who was comforted by the sweet lab during her interview in 2023.

In September, Ryan and his handler joined the Community Service Officer Unit and the Mounted Patrol Unit for an outreach event at Seattle’s Ronald McDonald House (RMH). Ryan patiently greeted and spent time with many kids and families during the two-hour event, providing comfort and love to children facing unimaginable medical conditions.

The value of Ryan’s service in our community is priceless and his ability to help survivors navigate trauma is singular. Ryan turned four years old on Thursday, October 17. Please join us in wishing him the happiest of birthdays!