Written by Mackenzie Sweat

As classes let out, crowds of students swarm UTC’s campus, their minds heavy with the weight of homework or homelife. A sight stops them in their tracks, a furry four-legged animal with a shiny gold badge on her chest. This is Sophie, the new University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Police Department K9 therapy dog. As students approach Sophie instantly, the energy shifts. What were anxious frowns, are now smiling faces and calm minds, just by petting her soft fur.

Sophie, a 13-month-old lab, started her role on Nov. 3 alongside UTC Police Corporal Aaron Bayer, who is responsible for community engagement. Sophie has been in her position for just under a month, and Bayer has already seen students react very positively to her. 

 “We went from being nobodies to… students calling and asking for us, and people stopping by the police department just to see her (Sophie). Students remember her name. They see us on campus now, and they’ll come running toward her,’’ said Bayer. He notices what kind of impact Sophie has had on campus.