Ventura County Sheriff’s Office welcomes first emotional support, therapeutic dog

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. – The Ventura County Sheriff's Office narcotic dog, Rocky, would rather play fetch than sniff for drugs, so the department made him the department's first emotional support/therapeutic dog.

"We all know dogs have that special ability to calm people with their floppy ears and wet noses," said Sheriff Bill Ayub. "It made perfect sense to assign Rocky to this job."

Rocky is a two-year-old labrador retriever who was purchased and trained with community-donated funds, according to Assistant Sheriff Rob Davidson.

He is a "stealer of snacks, but very cute," Davidson said.

Rocky's assignment is "doing what he does best, making people smile," as part of Ayub's focus on the mentally ill.

He will increase socialization and treatment compliance for inmates who struggle with mental illness, Davidson said.

"Rocky’s presence helps to calm those in crisis and helps to reduce the anxieties of those who have challenges navigating social settings," he added.

The Ventura County jails house some of the community's severely mentally ill, and no one is immune from the impact of mental illness, Ayub said.

Working to improve a person's circumstances while they are in custody helps them come back into the community stabilized and healthier, he added.