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ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE SPECIAL ORDER Effective Date: September 13, 2023  Amends - SO 128.0 (August 5, 2022 ) Number: 128.0 Distribution: All Personnel Review Month: August Reviewing Authority: CID / Victim Advocate Subject: Therapy Dog This order consists of the following: 1. Purpose 2. Definitions 3. Procedures 1. Purpose The purpose of this policy is to establish specific guidelines for members of the Therapy Dog Program overseen by the Victim Advocate Squad, and the deployment, training and care of the Therapy Dog. 2. Definitions A. Therapy Dog - a therapy dog which will provide comfort to children, victims of crimes, employees of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office as well as employees of other state and local agencie s located in the Central Florida area. Hereinafter referred to as “canine”. B. Therapy Dog Handler – an agency employee specially trained in the care, handling and deployment of a canine . Hereinafter referred to as “handler”. Handler s shall receive specialty pay in accordance with GO 4.6.3 . C. Supervisor – the supervisor assigned to provide oversight of the program. Hereinafter referred to as “supervisor”. D. Therapy Dog C ertification – The Therapy Dog C ertification will consist of an assessment test of the canine and handler. The test consists of an evaluation of the canine ’s basic good manners, demeanor, and hand ler’s skills. The test also consists of an evaluation of th e canine and handler in nontraditional settings to include but not limited to medical facilities, schools and courthouses. The canine shall receive a therapy dog certification from a nati onally recognized organization that has been approved by the agency. 3. Procedures A. Therapy Dog Selection The canine shall be selected by the supervisor and approved by the chain of command. The canine shall be tested for the following attributes: 1. The canine should be of a breed with a demeanor appropriate for this line of work. 2. The canine shall possess an average or above average play drive . 128.0, Page 2 of 6 3. The canine shall not possess any physical limitations, or medical issues that may now, or in the futur e affect the canine’s ability to perform the required tasks. 4. The canine shall be tested for drive, sociability, and temperament with emphasis on sociability and temperament. B. Training 1. The handler and canine shall together successfully complete a therap y dog training program with a vendor of the agency’s choice. Once the training is completed , the handler and canine shall successfully display the ability to perform in the following areas: a. Basic obedience b. Distance control 1. with distraction 2. without distraction c. Socialization 1. with adults 2. with children of varying ages d. Recall e. Temperament test 2. Upon completion of an approved therapy dog training program , additional training may be required through a vendor of the agency’s choice. 3. Ongoing training is a requirement for the handler and canine and is considered an essential part of the job. Training will be performed on a regular (weekly) basis to maintain proficiency and operational readiness. The handler shall maintain all training records for the canine. 4. In addition , the handler and canine shall be required to demonstrate proficiency in all areas listed above to the supervisor biannually or when asked by the supervisor. Any deficiencies noted in these areas will be addressed immedi ately and may require follow up training to correct deficiencies. 5. Training shall be provided to the handler on administering of first aid to the canine by the agency approved veterinarian. First aid supplies for the canine will be provided to the handle r by the agency approved veterinarian ’s office. C. Training/Deployment Aids Any training aids that may be needed for training or deployments will be coordinated through the supervisor. D. Deployment and Call Outs Handlers have the ability to self -deploy on call outs and in a normal day to day operation. Handlers shall use their training and experience to determine if deployment is appropriate. 128.0, Page 3 of 6 1. The handler shall determine if the use of the canine is appropriate ba sed on factors such as: a. Age/mental capacity of the needing party b. Personality factors (does the needing party have a fear of animals) c. Environment d. Scene location e. State Attorney’s Office request f. Detective/Deputy request g. Needs at the crime scene h. Florida St ate Statu tes and other legal considerations 2. The canine shall remain on lead except for during demonstrations and while deployed on call outs. 3. In the event a person is injured as a result of the canine, medical aid will be summoned immediately for the injured person. The injury will be photographed by a supervisor, designee, or Forensics personnel. a. The handler shall notify the supervisor immediately of the injury. b. The supervisor shall respond to the scene or notify an on duty patrol supervisor to respond to the scene. c. On call risk management shall be notified of the incident. The handler shall enter the injury into Blue Team ; 1. If the injured person is not an OCSO employee then a “Pub lic Liability” report in Blue Team will be completed. 2. If the