FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office has introduced a new therapy dog to support its detention deputies.
Therapy K-9 Lucy, a toy Australian Shepherd, will provide comfort and emotional support to staff at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, according to a release.
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Lucy and her handler, Cathleen Relyea, who supervises offender programs and services at the facility, have been a certified therapy dog team for two years.
They have participated in several community events, including the Sheriff’s Office’s Shop with a Cop and Joy Beyond Walls in December 2024.
In a press release, Sheriff Rick Staly emphasized the role of emotional support for detention deputies, who face unique stressors in their demanding jobs.
“Detention deputies play an incredibly valuable role in keeping our community safe by keeping offenders where they should be — in the Green Roof Inn,” Staly said.
“The job that our detention deputies do is certainly not an easy one, and there are many unique stressors they face that come from working in a jail. That’s why it is important to me that we provide emotional support in whatever way we can so that they can do their jobs to the best of their ability. I’m very excited that Therapy K-9 Lucy is a part of our Detention team and will bring many smiles to our jail staff.”
