Gulfport Police Department Welcomes Rehea, First Therapy Dog

Introducing Rehea: The First Therapy Dog

• 🐾 Rehea, a 2-year-old dog, is the Gulfport Police Department's first therapy dog, aiming to ease stress for officers and community members.
• 💡 She was adopted from a local shelter by Detective Jennifer Croen and has been trained to work within the department and with the community.

Rehea's Impact on Officers

• 🐶 Officers decompress by playing with Rehea for a few minutes after coming off duty, finding her presence comforting.
• 🤝 Rehea has a unique ability to sense when someone is feeling down and will offer comfort, such as leaning against them, which is described as her way of giving a hug.

Community and Victim Support

• ✨ At a tree lighting ceremony, Rehea approached a woman and her child, providing comfort and seemingly sensing the girl's anxiety, which visibly melted away.
• 💬 Detective Croen notes that Rehea can also help ease the stress of victims who have experienced traumatic events during necessary conversations.