How a First Responder Therapy Dog Comforts Heroes on the Front Lines

In April, our sponsored first responder therapy dog Mayzie had a full schedule bringing comfort and smiles to first responders across Douglas County, Nevada, as well as South Lake Tahoe, Sacramento, El Dorado Hills, and Rancho Cordova in Northern California. One special stop included a visit to the Tahoe Knight Monsters Game in South Lake Tahoe—an event dedicated to honoring first responders, where Mayzie proudly showed her support.

In addition to cheering on officers, firefighters, and dispatchers at a multi-agency training exercise hosted by the Sacramento State Police at California State University, Sacramento, Mayzie was honored to attend the memorial service for Division Chief Lucas Shepard of the El Dorado County Fire Protection District. With her calm, reassuring presence, she provided comfort to first responders and their families before, during, and after the ceremony.

Providing therapy for 911 dispatchers

911 dispatchers are the critical link between the public and emergency services, answering calls in times of crisis, assessing urgent situations, providing life-saving instructions, and coordinating swift responses from police, fire, and medical personnel. Their role demands expert multitasking, strong communication, and emotional resilience, as they handle a high volume of stressful and sometimes traumatic calls daily. The job requires extensive training, mental toughness, and a deep commitment to public safety—making dispatchers unsung heroes in every emergency.

Mayzie recently attended National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week (April 13–19), which honored the unsung heroes who serve as the critical link between the public and emergency responders. NORCOM—a regional dispatch center covering 43 counties across California—dispatchers manage complex, high-stakes calls for a range of agencies, including State Parks, CAL FIRE, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. NORCOM dispatchers work 10 hour shifts, but many dispatchers for other agencies work over 14 hours or longer if they are needed to stay for coverage due to short staffing or large scale incidents/emergencies.

Mayzie's calm presence at NORCOM and other dispatch centers she visits helps the dispatchers with the stress of their job. She patiently waits for pets from the dispatcher as they answer the call for help and assist their officers

Advocating for your therapy dog

Adrienne and Mayzie spent weeks preparing for First Responder Appreciation Weekend at the Tahoe Knight Monsters hockey game—practicing the ceremonial puck drop and even conditioning Mayzie to handle arena noise. However, when they were at the pregame reception, Adrienne realized it was too loud for Mayzie, as she was showing signs of nervousness.

Putting her well-being first, Adrienne quietly excused them both, heading back to their hotel where Mayzie could decompress with her favorite lick mat. After a restful evening, Mayzie bounced back quickly and was ready for more. The next morning, she enjoyed short, uplifting visits with the heroes at CalTahoe EMS and the South Lake Tahoe Police Department, spreading calm and gratitude all around.

Lick mats for decompression

Decompression is the act of releasing pressure or returning to a calm, balanced state after a stressful period. Just as humans need a moment to catch their breath, dogs benefit from dedicated “decompression” time to unwind and reset mentally. Mayzie loves a lick mat, and it’s an easy and effective way to help your dogs decompress.

You can create a lick mat for your dog by spreading a bit of yogurt or peanut butter (Mayzie loves her lick mat with frozen 3 Bears dog food) across the textured surface, and let them enjoy a soothing, focused activity that naturally releases calming endorphins. In just a few minutes, the repetitive licking motion helps your dog breathe easier, settle their nerves, and find their “sigh of relief” after a busy or anxious moment.