Trauma Intervention Programs of San Diego takes a moment to honor a beloved former volunteer, Canine Ty, as he begins his new adventures after retiring as a Crisis Response Canine. 

The start of his career began at only 18 months old becoming a Therapy Dog with Love on a Leash. Soon after, he joined Trauma Intervention Programs of San Diego as an official Comfort Dog responding to emergency scenes to help comfort people in crisis. Two years later, he moved into Chaplaincy with his partner, Debi Arnold. Over the years, Ty has built an impressive resume. He completed training with Next Step Service Dogs, passed his certification and became the second of four Crisis Response Canines with San Diego Fire-Rescue. His career also included working for Escondido Police Department and San Diego Harbor Police, all the while serving as a Crisis Response Canine with the non-profit organization, Backing The Line. 

Ty, working alongside Arnold, helps bridge relationships in all areas from sworn to non-sworn personnel, or Chief down to patrol. While visiting the stations, Arnold and Ty have spent time in Records, Forensics, Gang, Child Protection, and Dispatch units; even responding to scenes in the community after a death and attending community events.

For many years, Ty has provided love and comfort to more people and in more difficult situations to even count. Bringing his comforting presence to many, on perhaps the worst day of their lives, Ty was often a soft touch that didn’t ask anything of the ones he helped. As Arnold states, “He just cuddled and kissed the faces of the wounded and broken, knowing things I could never know. Many times, he comforted me on our rides home when my heart was broken for the broken, and wept as I drove.”

To Ty, THANK YOU for your service to TIP, your service to the community and for your precious spirit of comfort and unconditional love. A retirement well deserved. Bravo!

Trauma Intervention Programs (TIP) of San Diego County, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that those who are emotionally traumatized in emergency situations receive the assistance they need. To accomplish that goal, TIP works closely with local communities to establish emergency services volunteer programs. Highly-trained and screened volunteers are called to emergency scenes to provide emotional and practical support to family members, witnesses, and other bystanders.