More About First Responder Therapy Dogs
First Responders Face Mental Health Challenges
First Responders, including firefighters, paramedics, EMS, law enforcement, dispatch centers, and search and rescue personnel, answer the call to serve and protect.
These jobs can be physically, emotionally, and mentally challenging. First Responders can experience extreme stress, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, and even suicidal impulses. Within this population, there is a stigma attached to asking for help.
Providing Emotional Support
Treatment tools such as time-off and incident debriefs are not enough. First Responder Therapy Dogs offers a new, simple, effective, free mental health tool – emotional support from a trained therapy dog—without the stigma of asking for help.
Trained teams (handler and dog) go into the field and visit on-duty first responders. The goal is to provide this free service to as many first responders in as many locations across the country as possible. We provide this service in-the-field with a hands-on approach. All of our services are volunteer-based.
OUR Therapy Dog Visits work!
Therapy dogs have a calming effect. Their presence helps reduce blood pressure and stress while improving moods, allowing responders improved focus on the communities they serve while also receiving care for themselves.
Research demonstrates that therapy dog services positively impact this communities' mental health challenges. Research shows that therapy dog services positively impact this population's mental health issues.
The use of therapy dogs has demonstrated the following:
- Reduce stress and anxiety
- Lower blood pressure and slower breathing
- Improve overall mood elevation and mental state
- Increase productivity
We offer 3 Therapy dog visit options
THERAPY DOG VISITs - in the field
Therapy Dog visits - PEER SUPPORT Sessions
Therapy Dog visits - PEER SUPPORT Sessions
Visits to fire stations, police departments, emergency rooms, and 911-call centers, dispatch centers are scheduled in advance.
During the one to two-hour visits, therapy dog teams spend time with the personnel on shift bringing an instant uplift to the mood and energy in the room.
Therapy Dog visits - PEER SUPPORT Sessions
Therapy Dog visits - PEER SUPPORT Sessions
Therapy Dog visits - PEER SUPPORT Sessions
Following a challenging call, a defusing session typically occurs with the given first responder staff involved. A therapy dog joins to assist attendees in addressing their emotional responses to what they experienced during a high stress incident. The dogs handler also attends but does not participate in the session.
Therapy Dog visits - Wild land Fires
Therapy Dog visits - PEER SUPPORT Sessions
Therapy Dog visits - Wild land Fires
Wild Land Fire Base Camp visits are offered in Arizona, California, Colorado, and Oregon. Visits occur as the fire fighter are getting ready to go back on shift to continue battling a fire. In California, First Responder Therapy Dogs coordinates visits with Cal Fire and the U.S. Forest Service. These visits take place over several days as the team(s) visit personnel on different shifts.
What We've Accomplished
January 2021 through August 31, 2023:
- Expanded from providing services in 1 state to 34 states.
- Grew from 1 certified therapy dog to 178 therapy dogs.
- Made more than 1,500 therapy dog visits, reaching 40,000+ first responders.
June 1, 2023
- Received a $550 grant from the LifeStance Health Foundation to support our general operations in support of improving mental health and wellbeing in communities across the Country.
June 2021
- Received KPIX CBS San Francisco’s Jefferson Award for Public Service given to ordinary people who do extraordinary things without expectation of recognition. In April 2022, First Responder Therapy Dogs became a registered nonprofit 501(c)3 in April 2022.
Growing Social Media Impact
Social Media interest continues to grow -- as of May 31, 2023.
1. 5K followers with over 470,000 Instagram views, @firstrespondertherapydogs
2. 16K Instagram followers for our very first therapy dog, Kerith @kerith_the_golden_retreiver
3. 2.3K Facebook followers First Responder Therapy Dogs
4. 27.7K likes on TicTok firstrespondertherapydog
5. 70K YouTube views First Responder Therapy Dogs
6. 64 LinkedIn followers First Responder Therapy Dogs (Note: LinkedIn account is new as of late March 2023)
consider a donation
We appreciate any level of donation that works for you. Donations are used to bring therapy dog services to as many first responders as possible. First responder organizations rely on our services but do not fund them. With your tax-deductible contribution, we will continue to be a powerful tool in supporting the mental health challenges faced by first responders.