Therapy dogs back at work in Wausau schools

 

WAUSAU, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Some four-legged friends in Wausau are also looking forward to going to school.

A 4-year-old flat coated retriever named Badge patrols Wausau East High School with a school resource officer.

Badge serves as a therapy dog and Tuesday is his official start to the year.

Badge might spend his days cuddling with the kids but to the students, the therapy dog has done much more.

"He has deescalated situations. We had a student that had barricaded herself in a room in a different facility, made comments that she wanted to hurt herself, wouldn't want to talk to officers, and turned off the lights. We brought in Badge and it was like a flip of a switch," said School Resource Officer Nick Stetzer.

Because of Badge's success, the Wausau Police Department is adding another four-legged friend to the force.