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Connecticut's service dogs provide support at home for tragedy 1,700 miles away

“We’re looking forward to helping in any way we can,” said Yale officer Rich Simons.

HARTFORD, Conn. — In the darkness of the mass shooting at the Robb School in Uvalde, Texas, there are efforts here at home to bring some light.

Call them “K9 Service Dog Teams” or “K9 Comfort Teams” – either way, they are stepping in to lend support wherever they can.

Officer Rich Simons, a 28-year veteran of the Yale Police Department, works alongside K9 Heidi, a yellow Labrador Retriever, and both are accustomed to helping in comfort and therapy roles. But, this week, the emotions are amplified.

RELATED: East Hartford officer teaching top K9 cops from around the country

Echoes of the Sandy Hook shooting have hit home so Simons and Heidi are working to help as many people as they can.

“Whenever it comes to children, it’s such a tough thing to go through for anyone.” Simons said. “It’s well known that these dogs really relieve stress and that’s what we’re here for.”

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Officer Jay Bodell, from the Middletown Police Department, works alongside K9 Partner “Bear”, a black lab. Bodell has been making more visits to see school kids in Middletown this week.

“Walking through the schools in Middletown, interacting with the students, the teachers – it provides that sense of comfort but it’s also letting you know the Middletown Police Department – all of us -- are here if you need us,” Bodell said.

RELATED: School safety once again a hot topic in Connecticut

Both Bodell and Simons, who were running their dogs in Bushnell Park on a Thursday, team up to visit different schools and groups on a regular basis and they remarked that, if asked, they would bring their K9s to Uvalde in an instant.

“Let’s go, let’s go right now,” Simons said.

“Any sliver of assistance we can provide, we would, because we’ve experienced this in Connecticut,” Bodell added.

K9 Bear and K9 Heidi are both graduates of the prestigious “Puppies Behind Bars” Program. Currently there are eight K9’s from the Puppies Behind Bars Program working in police departments across Connecticut. To learn more about the program click here.

Jimmy Altman is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at jaltman@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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