KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The first three dogs to tag along with officers during the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department’s new P.A.W. Patrol program found a new home.
Sgt. Jake Becchina said a family adopted one dog and the two others moved out of the KC Pet Project shelter into foster homes.
In June 2019, the police department teamed up with KC Pet Project to create P.A.W. (Police and Woofs) Patrol.
In the program, an officer takes an adoptable dog from KC Pet Project to visit different police sub stations while documenting the “field trip” on social media.
The program serves three purposes: give police a stress reliever, allow the dog to socialize outside the shelter and ultimately find the dog a forever home by shining a spotlight on the pet.
"Taking care of animals that find their way out and about in our community, that's also part of what policing is about,” Becchina said. “It's about making the community better for people and for our four-legged friends as well."
Wednesday, 41 Action News tagged along as Becchina brought a 10-month-old Shepherd mix named Jacobi to North Patrol and the KCPD headquarters.
Detectives, administrators and other staff members came racing out of their offices to meet the puppy.
Jacobi was a stray dog who ended up at the shelter this month. He was very tame, didn’t bark once and warmed up to all the attention.
"This will just do so much good for him [Jacobi the dog] to get out and have this lovely enrichment time with people, to meet new people and to have new experiences,” explained Tori Fugate with KC Pet Project.
If you’d like to adopt Jacobior another dog, call KC Pet Project at 816-683-1383.
