Farm dog to Hays County Sheriff's Office officer: Mirko's story

SAN MARCOS  –   A few months ago, Mirko was a regular, farm-loving German Shepherd. Today, he travels with the Hays County Sheriff’s Office as the organization’s first therapy dog in hopes of bettering the lives of those he and his partner, deputy Mohmmad Zaqzouq, serve.

After being assigned to the Mental Health Unit, the deputy was curious as to why Hays County didn’t have a therapy dog, as cities within it, such as San Marcos, do: “I figured that I would enjoy doing it myself, so I figured, ‘Why not start the program here and try to make therapy dogs more common in Hays County,’” said Zaqzouq.

He presented the idea to his sergeant, who expressed his support, but noted that Zaqzouq would need to pitch the idea to the chain of command. In this presentation, he included factoids about therapy dogs, what they are used for and the fact that his very own dog might be the perfect candidate.

According to the nonprofit Paws for Healing, medical research shows that the interaction between an individual and a dog can be physically and psychologically beneficial, with benefits, such as lowering blood pressure, decreasing anxiety and increasing interaction with others. This is further corroborated by the National Center for Biotechnology Information at the National Institute of Health, which states that “short-term, unstructured interactions with a therapy dog can significantly reduce self-reported anxiety and distress levels.”

Once Zaqzouq gained approval from his chain of command, he headed to the Hays County Commissioners Court to request funding for travel to Florida, where he and Mirko would attend Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Paws and Stripes College to obtain his Canine Good Citizen and American Kennel Club certifications.

The Paws and Stripes College initially began as the Paws and Stripes Program, which was an effort to find homes for local shelter dogs by training them, according to its website, but now offers both a Comfort Dog Program and a Law Enforcement & Multidiscipline Crimes Against Persons Therapy Dog Training.

The program still provides shelter dogs to those who enter the program without their own, but Zaqzouq knew 5-year-old Mirko would be fit for the job: “I trained him for so long that I knew he would meet the standard for it and he also has an extremely calm temperament. He doesn’t really even bark much, nor has he ever nipped at anybody. So, I figured he would be a great candidate, being that he’s had structure his entire life, and he’d be able to past the obedience course. And sure enough, he did.”

It has only been five weeks since the start of Mirko’s therapy dog career, but he and Zaqzouq have been introducing themselves to the county by visiting CHRISTUS Santa Rosa and Ascension Seton Hays hospitals, the Hays County Jail and other organizations throughout the county that could benefit from having a visit from a therapy dog. Mirko visits with employees at each organization, as well as patients, to provide relief from stressors. These organizations are able to reach out to Zaqzouq for visits from Mirko when needed. He is also available to HCSO officers dealing with trauma.

In a typical shift, Mirko will respond to mental health calls with Zaqzouq.

“After I’ve talked to [the caller] and ensured the scene is safe, [I] ask them if they would like to meet the dog. It helps them relax, especially when they realize that they’re going to be taken to the hospital and they’re receiving more care So, it helps kind of ease that process. And at the hospital, he can ease them while they’re over there meeting staff and thinking that they are going to go away forever, and that’s not the case, but it helps them,” explained the deputy.

Although Mirko, who gained his name after a military working dog who died from cancer, now works almost 40 hours a week alongside Zaqzouq, he is adjusting well and still enjoys a game of fetch and playing with the chickens when he’s not working.

“His personality [off the clock] is, weirdly enough, very outgoing. He will approach anybody he comes up to. He enjoys being around people … He plays with our Great Pyrenees that is out with the goats [and] he’ll chase the chickens occasionally because they like to mess with him,” described the deputy.

But when Mirko’s brown collar, pinned with a HCSO badge, comes out, he knows it’s time to work, due to having separate collars for work and play, Zaqzouq explained. Since he enjoys working and recognizes when it is time to do so, the therapy dog gains a calmer temper and more obedience. Because these working dogs are so smart, said Zaqzouq, as Mirko spends more time on the job, he will begin to understand the individuals he is there to help, sensing their anxiety, and automatically go up to them.

In the future, Zaqzouq hopes to bring Mirko to school counselors to aid students when they are having a difficult time talking, stating that, oftentimes, petting a therapy dog can give individuals “a voice.” This will also happen if there is ever a tragedy at a school, he will be brought in to comfort the students. The same is true for victims of abuse, which is why Mirko has visited with the forensic interviewer at Roxanne’s House. After director approval, the therapy dog will be sitting in on the interviews, while children recount  stressful and, oftentimes, traumatic experiences.

According to the deputy, if the results are positive, Roxanne’s House plans on sending some of their interviewers to Paws and Stripes College, as well, to get a therapy dog.

“It’s not a job that you can necessarily see the difference right off the bat, like you could with a patrol dog that’s looking for drugs or helping catch a criminal,” said Zaqzouq. “It’s [an impact] that you see in a change of behavior in the public or in staff and in the overall setting of where you’re at.”

To keep up with Mirko, follow his Instagram at @hcso_therapyk9_mirko or visit www.facebook.com/hayscountysheriffsoffice for more information.