A Goldendoodle named Jellybean is now on duty with the Pembroke Pines Police Department, officially recognized as the agency's first therapy dog after completing a 40-hour training course. The 1-year-old comfort K-9 is tasked with helping crime victims and first responders cope in the aftermath of high-stress or traumatic events, according to the department.
From Puppy to Certified Comfort K-9
Jellybean's journey began in September 2025, when the Pembroke Pines Police Department adopted her as a 10-week-old pup acquired through the First Responders Pack Foundation, a nonprofit that funds therapy dogs for police departments, fire stations and other agencies as a way to improve first responders' mental health, as Pembroke Pines News reported at the time. She trained alongside her handler, PSA Jason Dail, who is described as both her handler and the department's primary support officer for the program.
The department held a celebration in Pembroke Pines to mark Jellybean's achievement, according to WFLA, whose reporting forms the basis for much of what's now known about her role. The outlet reports that Jellybean is considered a certified therapy dog and now serves as an ambassador for the department, appearing with Dail at outreach events across Broward County.
A Calming Presence During Crisis
Pembroke Pines News reported that Jellybean's primary task is to provide emotional support to community members and first responders during times of stress, trauma or crisis. The outlet also reported the department's plans for Jellybean to make rounds to schools, senior centers and community events, with the potential to offer a calming presence at scenes where one might be needed.
The WFLA report notes that research has shown interacting with dogs like Jellybean can help lower blood pressure and relieve the effects of stress and trauma, a point the department has cited. That research-backed rationale lines up with broader findings from the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, which notes that ongoing studies suggest officers and first responders may handle job stress better when station dogs are available, though that bulletin's findings are described as still developing.
Part of a Growing Regional Movement
Jellybean isn't the only furry face easing tension in Broward County. A countywide initiative called the Broward First Responders Support Dogs now includes 15 dogs, according to NBC 6 South Florida, which reported the program responds to traumatic scenes to support both affected residents and first responders' mental health. Officer Dana Doklean told the station that before the program existed, there was no way for therapy dogs within Broward to be contacted for critical incidents at police departments or fire stations.
The trend extends well beyond South Florida. In Hialeah, the police department introduced its own first emotional-support dog, a Bernedoodle named Domino, whose job is not to assist with arrests or investigations but to comfort children, crime victims, witnesses and officers affected by traumatic incidents, per the Miami Herald. The Miami-Dade Police Department has likewise launched a pilot program aimed at providing comfort and emotional support through pet therapy, according to CBS Miami.
A Nationwide Shift in Policing
Similar programs have taken root far from Florida. The Madison Police Department welcomed Frost, a Golden Retriever, as its first-ever therapy dog, with the department saying Frost and his handling officer would respond to critical incidents and comfort staff during difficult situations, according to the City of Madison. In Wisconsin, at least eight police departments added therapy dogs within a single year, Wisconsin Public Radio reported, including in Oshkosh, where officials said the addition was a response to behavioral health-related calls and a way to support officers themselves.
In Columbus, Ohio, a therapy dog unit trained to support crime victims during difficult moments responds to roughly 50 major incidents a year, according to NBC4 WCMH-TV. Wisconsin's La Crosse Police Department has its own dog in training, Cheddar, who will eventually help calm people in the middle of a mental health crisis or comfort crime victims, per Wisconsin Public Radio. Law enforcement agencies are adding therapy dogs to their teams in growing numbers, with the animals also having worked with combat veterans and in children's hospitals in other settings.
For now, Jellybean's work in Pembroke Pines is just beginning, with the department noting she has an Instagram account where her journey can be followed.
