The Kannapolis Police Department has added an important new member to its roster – Millie, a therapy dog. Millie was donated to the Kannapolis Police Department by Taylor Wise, owner of Dunkin Doodles in Waxhaw. Millie is a four-month-old Bernedoodle.

“When the recent tragic event in Charlotte happened and four law enforcement officers lost their lives, my family and I wanted to do something to help officers in our region and show our appreciation for everything they do every day for all of us,” said Taylor Wise. “Our puppies are usually spoken for before they are born but we had two, Millie and her sister, Phoebe, who did not have a home. We felt like this was their purpose – to be therapy dogs for law enforcement.” The Wise Family is friends with a police officer in Kannapolis and the connection was made. Phoebe was donated to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

“Millie has already made a difference in our department. She is helping us deal with the trauma of the difficult things we see every day. When they see her, our officers start to relax and smile. She is an uplifting part of our day,” commented Kannapolis Police Chief Terry Spry.

Millie and her handler, Lt. Justin Smith, will begin an eight-week AKC Certified Therapy Dog training course in July. She will then accompany Lt. Smith to the police department and be available for any member of the police department as a means of support during difficult incidents, or simply to help ease day-to-day stress.

“Once Millie completes her training you will see her at community events and around City Hall serving as a therapy dog for other city staff,” Chief Spry further stated “We are very appreciative of Taylor’s gift of Millie to us. This gift of Millie and her connection to our officers will play a significant role in ensuring we look after the mental health of our officers and our community.”