Deputy Long went to Florida for a week, but he wasn’t on a tropical vacation. He was training and picking up the new dog you may have seen around school since the start of the semester. Piper, a Basenji/Border Collie mix, was adopted by Deputy Long in December to be a therapy dog for Southeast of Saline. 

    Deputy Long had to first talk to the Sheriff’s Department for approval. He then met with our Superintendent, Mr. Stumpf. They found a free program through Brevard County in Titusville, Florida. The program involved rescuing the dogs and having inmates and dog trainers work with the rescues. Deputy Long was given Piper, while other officers in the class either brought their own dog or were also provided with a dog. 

    Deputy Long has been wanting to bring a therapy dog to Southeast for a couple of years now. He noticed the good it does for kids in crisis, and thought that it would benefit our students. Collaborating with Mr. Stumpf, they found a free program in Florida and asked, “why not?”. Long traveled with Ell-Saline’s Officer who was also picking up their new therapy dog. 

    Piper, who came with the name, is a spunky and playful puppy at home, but she’s still getting used to the school setting where she’s shy and timid. Deputy Long thinks she’s only a year and a half old, maybe younger, so she has some growing up to do. Deputy Long added, “She’s new, that shyness should work out of her.” She loves getting treats and sleeping in her dog bed in Deputy Long’s office. Ashley Long, an expert with Piper at home, tells us that she’s a happy dog who instigates play fighting with their lab. She also loves to cuddle which she hopes other’s get to see once she gets comfortable in the school setting. 

    Being an abandoned rescue, we don’t know her back story but you can tell she struggles with meeting new adult strangers. She’s learning how to greet strangers without a bark and should get better with time. 

    So, when you see Piper in the halls, let her smell your hand and give her a few seconds of your time before petting her. Also, KWCH and the Salina Post have featured Piper in articles., Follow the links below to learn more!

KWCH https://www.kwch.com/

SALINA TROJOURNAL https://salinapost.com/