Therapy Dog K9 Onyx

In April 2023, the Tualatin Police Department welcomed K9 Onyx, our first Therapy Dog. K9 Onyx is a 2 year old black Labrador Retriever who was donated to the Department by a local nonprofit, Working Dogs Oregon. He is trained to assist with employee wellness, victim support, crisis response, and community outreach. K9 Onyx’s primary role is to be present at the Department as a resource available to officers and employees.

Therapy animals have been used as a response to critical incidents in many facets of life. First responders see these kinds of critical incidents on a daily basis and often face their own personal crises as well. K9 Onyx is available to give and receive some comfort, not just in response to these incidents but as reminder to check in on a daily basis. He is also available to play or go for a walk, both of which are valuable tools to help employees reduce stress.

In addition to supporting employee wellness, K9 Onyx will be available to those who are in need of comfort and a sense of well-being, including victims and some witnesses of criminal incidents, and those who have endured emotional tragedies. K9 Onyx is in a unique position to embody the kind of community policing that can improve trust and build connections between residents and law enforcement. Comfort dogs are specially trained to not only provide comfort, but also to be stable in unusual experiences such as riding in cruisers, large yelling crowds, and tense situations. They play a therapeutic role and can de-escalate stressful situations while providing unconditional love and support to people on some of their hardest days.

K9 Onyx lives with Support Services Supervisor Athena Payne. He is present at the Department during the hours that we are open to the public, which is Monday through Friday, 8:00AM to 5:00PM, excluding holidays. Additionally, K9 Onyx attends many of the City’s events with his assigned handler, Police Services Technician Josh Kaplan. Feel free to stop by and see him at the Department or say hello at events in and around the City of Tualatin.

If you are interested in reading more about some of K9 Onyx’s training, please check out this local news story.