Meriden Police get new therapy dog

MERIDEN, Conn. (WTNH) — Meriden Police have a new partner on the force.

John is the department’s first therapy dog. He’ll be going to schools to calm kids, crime scenes and also help with officers who may be suffering from trauma on the job.

Officer Stephanie Masella is John’s handler, and John came to her in a unique way.  Masella said that as a puppy, John was part of a program called “Puppies Behind Bars” which allows inmates to train puppies.  John was trained, and then Officer Masella went inside a prison to get trained by the inmate.

“He goes in at 8 weeks, and Jason was his primary handler,” Masella said. “Jason raised him from 8 weeks old and all the way to about a year and a half, he spent all of his time with him. And it shows because he’s just so well trained.”

John, a yellow lab, is pretty popular on social media. He has his own Instagram page @K9_JOHN_MPD.

Watch the full story above.

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