National Dog Day: Pups Who are Part of the City of Virginia Beach Team

Today, National Dog Day, is a doggone perfect day to share about some of our teams that work with dogs. These well-trained canines work alongside our employees to support them and help get the job done.

EMS Therapy Dogs  

Virginia Beach Emergency Medical Services (VBEMS) established a Therapy Dog Program in 2023. The program currently has 14 dogs who volunteer to complete “resiliency shifts” throughout the month, which are pre-scheduled three-hour shifts where the dogs visit providers on duty and promote mental health wellness and positivity.

These dogs visit EMS crews, emergency room hospital staff, the Emergency Communications & Citizen Services (ECCS) call center and other public safety teams. Some of the dogs even have their own trading cards, and many volunteer with organizations such as the Red Cross and Crisis Response Canines. 

Fire Therapy K-9s

The Virginia Beach Fire Department has two therapy K-9 dogs: Aristotle “Ari” Harper, the department's first-ever therapy dog and Ember, a therapy dog in training. 

Ari is a 13-month-old, male, yellow Labrador Retriever, donated by Dale McClellan, founder and CEO of Frog Dog K9. Master Firefighter Cayla Harper was selected as Ari’s handler and is helping shape and expand the department’s Therapy Dog Program. 

Ember is a 3-month-old, female Golden Retriever, donated by breeder Jon Ward. She’s training with Frog Dog K9 and her new handler, Assistant Fire Chief Lorna Trent. In about 12 months, Ember will officially join the VBFD family. Ward’s long-term vision is for therapy dogs to be placed at every fire and police station in Hampton Roads. 

Police K9 Unit

In the Virginia Beach Police Department, dogs and handlers on the K-9 team play a vital role in keeping the community safe and protecting fellow officers. Each K-9 works alongside a dedicated handler who completes specialized training and maintains strict certification standards to stay sharp and ready for any situation.

VBPD K-9s are trained to help locate missing persons, track suspects, find evidence and detect explosives and narcotics. One dog in particular, Chip, serves as an Electronic Storage Detection K-9, trained to identify digital devices that may be hidden or intentionally concealed. During search warrants and other investigations, he helps detectives uncover phones, tablets, laptops, USB drives, memory cards and similar items that could hold crucial evidence.

Police Comfort Dogs

The Comfort Dog Program supports officer wellbeing by bringing trained dogs into situations where stress, anxiety or trauma may be present. In 2021, an English Labrador Retriever named Gigi and a Golden Retriever named Simba were sworn in as law enforcement officers, making them official members of the department.

Their presence helps calm employees and provides meaningful support to both first responders and community members. They’ve also visited schools after the death or serious injury of students, read with elementary classes, visited precincts after difficult calls and moments of loss, attended VBPD Family Day and supported remembrances and funerals honoring fallen officers. 

Sheriff’s Office K9 Dogs 

The Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office K9 unit is comprised of three highly trained teams that support operations across Virginia Beach and Hampton Roads. K9 Boyka specializes in explosive detection, while K9s Pablo and Apollo focus on narcotics detection. Apollo also carries a unique distinction; he’s the first law enforcement K9 in Hampton Roads certified to detect fentanyl. 

In FY 2026, the teams completed 254 operational searches. The team also logged nearly 960 hours of training to maintain their specialized skills. Their accomplishments extend beyond operations. Master Deputy II Crystal Repass and K9 Apollo earned the Virginia Elks State Enrique Camarena Award for advancing drug‑prevention efforts, and Sgt. Aaron Whitehead achieved Explosive Detection Master Trainer status through the Virginia Police Work Dog Association. 

Outside of duty, Boyka, Pablo and Apollo are well‑known community favorites, appearing at events, meeting residents and starring on their own movie‑poster‑style K9 Hero Cards and children’s coloring pages. 

Commonwealth's Attorney’s Office Facility Dog 

An 8-year-old Labrador Retriever named Zuhey serves as the facility dog for the Commonwealth’s Attorney's Office. She joined the City in 2023, after completing her training with Service Dogs of Virginia in Charlottesville.  

Most of her time is spent in the Victim-Witness waiting area, offering comfort to victims and witnesses as they navigate the court process. When someone is anxious, stressed or preparing to revisit difficult experiences, Zuhey is there to help. She sometimes even accompanies them into the courtroom.  

Zuhey is also a daily source of joy for staff and is well-known and loved throughout the courthouse. 

VB Tails 

VB Tails is a City wellness initiative that brings certified therapy dogs into employee workspaces to spark connection, ease stress and offer moments of appreciation throughout the day. From offices and libraries to public safety and other City facilities, these therapy dogs deliver doses of happy to staff through partnerships with volunteer handlers.

Coordinated by the Office of Volunteer Resources, VB Tails demonstrates how volunteers can help strengthen our organization in meaningful ways. 

A Dog of Your Own

For those interested in a companion of their own, the Virginia Beach Animal Care & Adoption Center remains a trusted resource for finding a new member of the family.  

We’re fortunate to have these furry friends who play an important role in serving our workforce and the community. Interested in joining our team? Find your best job yet at VirginiaBeach.gov/Careers. 

• Careers