Maverick. He got his name honest from the notable character of the infamous Tom Cruise movie. He was wild and did things his way, but above all, he was very loyal as a puppy.
Maverick was rescued from an abusive home when he was about 6 months old. He was very skinny and was not given proper care or efficient food. Due to his breed being a husky, I wanted to ensure that I could provide him with the proper enrichment daily activities to fulfill his life.
He attended doggy daycare 4 days a week, but I knew he offered more. In 2021, Maverick went to Bullet Proof Dog Training in Cincinnati, Ohio to become a therapy dog. Maverick passed successfully and was now about to help more people than I could have ever imagined.
When I worked for a homeless organization in Louisville managing unhoused veterans and adult males, Maverick was right by my side providing emotional support, stability, and comfort to those in need.
When I transitioned to manage the domestic violence center, Maverick came with me to help conduct assessments at all hours of the day, played with children in the backyard of the secured space, and made individuals who occupied the space feel a sense of normalcy.
He also gained two wonderful aunts, Stacey and Vonne, and a godmother, Pam, who adored him dearly and would eat breakfast and lunch with him daily. He was loved by so many in Louisville.
But we gained an opportunity to be employed at a police department in Bardstown, so as I transitioned into a new role, so did Maverick.
We began our new journey as police social workers and therapy dogs for the police department in 2023. Maverick’s sole purpose is to bring stability and comfort to victims of crime and to the police officers daily.
He patrols the police department going from office to office seeing if anyone needs his services or if the Chief is in and will give him animal crackers; which has become their ritual.
He visits the dispatch team and makes them smile with his presence as well. He even ventures next door to the firehouse to see everyone.
Maverick has a very rigorous social schedule as he attends active day which is an adult day center, a transitional housing facility for men and women, visits the county jail, goes to court with children of CASA (court-appointed special advocates), and attends schools when his services are requested.
Maverick also has a few memberships as well. He is a rotary member of the Bardstown Rotary Club, a board member for CASA of the Lincoln trail, Bourbon City Bark Park, Bethany Haven, and the Steering Committee Board.
Maverick is the first therapy dog for the Bardstown Police Department and was the first therapy dog, to our knowledge, that had the purpose of serving sworn and non-sworn officers with emotional stability and comfort.
