MEET Team Sokka

“The New Westminster Police Victim Assistance Unit (NWPD VAU) has been looking forward to having an Accredited Facility Dog for a number of years. We have seen the positive impact that other AFDs such as Puma, Queenie, Cheddar, and Cambria have had when their handlers and agencies have graciously made them available for our clients.

You can see a victim’s stress levels decrease when they have an AFD available to them when giving a statement to police or testifying in court. We have had clients tell us that when they started to feel upset when testifying, they touched the dog and felt their breathing, which helped them regulate enough to be able to continue with their testimony.

Now, the NWPD VAU has Team Sokka to be able to provide that same support to our clients. Sokka’s calm and gentle demeanour is sure to provide increased trust, communication, and comfort when victims are interacting with Police, VAU staff, and the Criminal Justice System.

Prior to being matched with Sokka, I participated in the PADS Puppy Raising Program and brought PADS Puppy Glover to work every day. While not a fully trained PADS dog, Glover brought smiles and brightened the day of everyone who interacted with him. I am sure that Sokka will have an equal (or greater!) impact on the civilian and sworn members as they deal with the difficult work that they do.

As a result of the Puppy Raiser experience, I recognize the work that goes into each one of the dogs PADS trains and I am eternally grateful to Sokka’s Breeder Caretakers, Puppy Raisers, Puppy Sponsors, Trainers, and Sitters.”

– Kirsten, PADS Sokka’s Partner