The agency’s new therapy dog, a nine-month-old French Bulldog named Luna, is partnered with Bianca Becker ’17, a police detective and UCF alumna.
麻豆精品 S淣o one is going to confuse her for a working K-9, 麻豆精品 S� Becker says. 麻豆精品 S淭hat just makes her more approachable and easier to love 麻豆精品 S� exactly what you want in a therapy dog. 麻豆精品 S�
Becker, who has been with the department since 2017, specializes in sex crimes investigations at UCF. The duo will now also respond to any case involving Central Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 Sexual Assault Response Team (SART). This team includes detectives, advocates, nurses, Child Protective Services and any other entity that responds to sexual assaults in the Central Florida area.
While other law enforcement agencies may utilize therapy dogs for cases they investigate, SART didn’t have their own designated dog they could call in 麻豆精品 S� until Luna.
麻豆精品 S淭he idea is that Luna and I will be used by other agencies if they have a sex crimes case where a dog may be needed but not accessible, 麻豆精品 S� Becker says. 麻豆精品 S淚n the past, it was difficult finding a therapy dog that could come in at a moment 麻豆精品 S檚 notice, but now we 麻豆精品 S檒l be readily available for those calls. 麻豆精品 S�
Becker also noted that some therapy dog handlers may not be trained to work with sexual assault survivors 麻豆精品 S� something Becker has been doing since she joined UCFPD 麻豆精品 S檚 Criminal Investigations Division in August 2020.
麻豆精品 S淭hese dogs are great. They 麻豆精品 S檙e cute, they 麻豆精品 S檙e cuddly, and they give victims a lot of comfort, 麻豆精品 S� Becker says. 麻豆精品 S淏ut they 麻豆精品 S檙e also tools detectives can use to help build and solve cases. 麻豆精品 S�
French Bulldogs are also the new top dogs, according to the American Kennel Club. They were recently named the most popular breed in the United States, ending the Labrador Retriever 麻豆精品 S檚 31-year reign. This doesn 麻豆精品 S檛 come as a surprise to Becker, who has three other Frenchies at home.
麻豆精品 S淔renchies were literally bred to sit on your lap and sleep, 麻豆精品 S� Becker says. 麻豆精品 S淭emperament-wise, they 麻豆精品 S檙e the perfect therapy dog and they 麻豆精品 S檙e just so cute! 麻豆精品 S�
Luna will join fellow UCFPD therapy dog Chipper, a four-year-old yellow Labrador Retriever. But don 麻豆精品 S檛 worry 麻豆精品 S� Becker says there 麻豆精品 S檚 no bad blood between the two competing breeds, who were both recently .
Although she 麻豆精品 S檚 still in training, Luna is expected to complete her certification at the beginning of 2024. In the meantime, she 麻豆精品 S檒l continue to participate in training classes and get 麻豆精品 S減aws-on 麻豆精品 S� experience at community events at UCF.
