PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Two new graduates in Palm Beach County are ready to start bringing joy to students with their wagging tails.
Leo and Athena, two rescued dogs, graduated Friday morning from the Paws and Stripes program at the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
Program leaders said they’ve gotten more than 50 dogs through the course and they’ve gone to help many first responders.
Leo and Athena will go to Palm Beach County schools to serve as therapy dogs to help students with their emotions. School officials said students are loving the new furry companions.
A third dog, Creed, also graduated on Friday and will go the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office as a therapy dog.
We spoke with Creed’s previous owner, Peter Bieniek, from Fort Myers, who gave him up to be a part of the program. He said it’s bittersweet to say goodbye to his pup, but he knows Creed will make a lot of people smile.
"Watching him graduate today, I can see just a whole world of difference," Bieniek told WPTV News journalist Victor Jorges. “I'm sad, but I'm also so happy for him. I try not to get emotional because, like I said, he's a wonderful dog. And I know based on what I had with him and what they've done with him, he's going to do some wonderful things for the public.”
Bieniek also said he sees Creed being more relaxed, better behaved, and a better listener.
The sheriff’s office tells us this is the program’s seventh graduation ceremony and all dogs that have gone through the program were rescued.
Leo was rescued from Big Dog Ranch Rescue and Athena was rescued from the county’s Animal Control facility.
