East Lyme ― Percy the comfort dog is ready to bring 30 pounds of puppy love wherever it’s needed.

East Lyme Animal Control Officer Allison Ryan on Friday described her canine partner, a two-year-old beagle mix, as travel-sized. The two were in between calls at the New London animal shelter shared with East Lyme and Waterford.

“Comfort dogs are there to comfort anybody, whether someone’s just having a bad day or a bad week, or if something traumatic happens,” Ryan said. “And we’re willing to come out if people need us.”

The East Lyme Police Department in July recognized Percy as an official ally in its effort to engage with the local community and beyond. The American Kennel Club-approved Canine Good Citizen wears a small vest affixed with a custom-made patch identifying him as the department’s therapy dog.

Percy joins the growing cadre of area therapy dogs responding to recent tragedies. He visited schools in Groton to soothe students after one teenager died and three were critically injured on Oct. 14. When a Waterford woman that same week died after falling into a well, he was dispatched to Lawrence + Memorial Hospital to comfort her grieving coworkers.

Petting Percy’s soft ears and getting drawn into his deep brown eyes helps people find solace, according to Ryan, whose been an animal control officer for five years.

But Ryan noted the intent gaze that now makes Percy so effective was something the dog had to learn after she adopted him as a five month old from Big Fluffy Dog Rescue.

“Originally, he wouldn't really look directly at me,” she said. “It's not a normal behavior for a dog to look square in the eyes. Normally, for an animal, it's a threat.”

The same patch adorning his vest is available to the public for a $10 donation to fund further training since the department budget does not cover Percy’s expenses, Ryan said.

A little different

She described Percy as an “oddball” among colleagues, like Chase in Groton and Hodges in Waterford, who were trained through the New York-based Puppies Behind Bars. The nonprofit organization provides service dogs trained by prison inmates based on a contract with the participating law enforcement agencies.

Groton Town Community Policing Officer Heather McClelland was honored alongside canine partner Chase in 2023 with the U.S. Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing. Waterford Community Engagement Officer Eric Fredricks, whose K-9 partner is Hodges, was honored as the Waterford Police Officer of the Year in 2022.

Ryan’s status as a civilian animal control officer makes her something of an oddity as well, she acknowledged.

The unique partnership allows Percy to act not only as a therapy dog, but also as a “dog tester” tasked with helping Ryan determine if pets up for adoption at the shelter can get along with other dogs.

“That's another thing that makes us a little different,” she said. “Most of the other handlers with their dogs are cops.”

She said the more formal Puppies Behind Bars program comes with restrictions, like those on how much weight a dog is allowed to gain.

Food-motivated Percy, on the other hand, is allowed to accept treats along with pats and belly rubs.

“I figure as long as the vest still fits, we’re fine,” she said.

Outside the shelter Friday, Percy nibbled on fallen leaves and chomped on sticks. Ryan acknowledged the offerings were a poor substitute for favorites like carrots and cucumbers, as well as just about everything the dog enjoys eating off her plate at home.

Percy lives in East Lyme with Ryan, her two children, two dogs and a cat. She said Percy, since his arrival two years ago, has proved himself as calm, portable and empathetic.

“If I'm having a bad day and I'm driving around in the truck, he'll put his head on my shoulder,” she said. “And it’s like, ‘Oh, I didn't even know I needed that. Thanks, bud.’”

e.regan@theday.com