BEHCHOKO/RAE-EDZO
Man's best friend is helping the police make friends in Behchoko.

Paddy Cakes has been helping the local detachment build relationships with the community's youth. - photo courtesy of Const. Seth Thomas

The detachment has been using a mixed-breed husky named Paddy Cakes to build relationships with youth in the community ever since her owner Const. Seth Thomas moved there at the end of June.

"She's great for the community," said Thomas.

Thomas rescued the dog from Whati when he was serving there two years ago. He said he started feeding her along with another dog in the community. Soon enough ,she just started following him around.

"Eventually she would just jump in the back of my truck," he said.

Since then, she has travelled with Thomas to every community he has been stationed in, including Aklavik, Lutsel K'e, Fort Resolution, Sachs Harbour, Tulita and now Behchoko.

Although Paddy Cakes is not a trained police dog, she has been an excellent, if unofficial, addition to the force.

Paddy Cakes is so popular with the local children that there is a sign on the detachment's door to let people know whether she is there or not.

"The kids know her, they come and walk her everyday and I keep a leash by my desk so they can just come and take off with her," he said.

"A kid could be having the most horrible day in the world but now that kid is walking away with Paddy Cakes and they're both happy."

On top of Paddy Cakes' obvious popularity among Behchoko's youth, she was also recently instrumental in helping young residents who witnessed a traumatic assault give their statements to police.

Thomas said when those involved in the case were asked to come to talk to RCMP about what had happened, they specifically requested that Paddy Cakes be there.

Thomas said that the value of dogs in helping people who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder has been well documented. In this case, having Paddy Cakes around for them to pet and talk to helped make the youth feel at ease.

"They think of her as a friend, as a emotional support," he said. "That's something that you can't really put into words."

Thomas said other detachments he has been stationed in across the NWT have called the use of the dog "unprofessional." However, he said the impact she's had on the community's youth speaks for itself.

"When you've just helped a kid that's had a traumatic experience, etiquette and all that stuff can go out the window as far as I'm concerned, because you're looking after the person that has a problem."

Although he is glad the local children have taken a shining to his puppy, Thomas said Paddy Cakes will always have a special place in his heart because he adopted her right around the time his mother died.

"My mom died of cancer so I sometimes say that she's just my mom reincarnated looking after me," he said.

"Sometimes I think they have the same eyes."

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