NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — Polar the Dog is a Pasco County superhero, a beloved pupper with empathetic powers to calm and comfort kids in traumatic situations.
A 2-year-old mix of golden retriever and labrador retriever, this furry friend to children in need is a court facility dog, raised to read the room and soothe both young and old who are feeling extreme emotion.
"He's very intuitive as to who needs him," says Tammie McQueeney, Polar's handler with Hero to a Child, a nonprofit that aims to protect young people in the child welfare system.
Raised for this job, but displaying remarkable powers of empathy, Polar is now expanding his resume at Pasco Kids First, a children's advocacy center dedicated to the intervention and prevention of child abuse.
"There have been a couple of instances where he worked with kids here and it's worn him out," says Tammie, who has to make sure her furry friend has a balance of work and play (he loves his bouncy ball).
When work gets overwhelming, "Polar will go home and put himself to bed for two hours," his handler adds.
Polar spreads the love around, including to staffers and related grown-ups at Pasco Kids First. These are professionals who often share vicarious trauma with young clients dealing with familial nightmares.
"He helps me regulate when I'm having a hard day," says Jessica Hinchman, a trauma therapist.
For more on Hero to a Child, go here.
For more on Pasco Kids First, go here.
For more Sean Daly stories, follow him on Instagram at @seandalytv.
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