Good News Thursday: Puppy joins police department as therapy dog, New York Girl Scout troop serves girls experiencing homelessness

Puppy joins police department as therapy dogThe Twin Rivers Wisconsin Police Department has a new member — a puppy in training to be the force’s therapy dog. Puppy Daisy is already bringing joy and alleviating stress for law enforcement members. (Two Rivers Police Department)

A 12-week-old Australian Labradoodle named Daisy has joined the Twin Rivers Police Department in Wisconsin as the newest member of the force. Daisy is in training to be the police department’s therapy dog, and her work is to make dealing with law enforcement less stressful for anyone involved.

Daisy was donated by a breeder to the Law Enforcement Death Response Team, which supports law enforcement agencies that suffer line-of-duty deaths.

Daisy is yet to take her therapy dog exam, but is already impacting law enforcement across the state. Daisy went to visit communities in western Wisconsin that lost officers last month.

“She roamed around the debrief when we were talking with the officers about what happened and where they’re at with things. They held her a lot, show affection, she made them laugh a little bit because she’s a puppy and does silly things,” Two Rivers Police Department Assistant Chief Melissa Wiesner said.

New York Girl Scout troop serves girls experiencing homelessnessGirls from Troop 6000 gather at a cookie sale. New York’s Girl Scout Troop 6000 is made up predominantly of girls living in shelters or experiencing homelessness. (Girl Scouts of Greater New York)

New York’s Girl Scout Troop 6000 gives girls living in shelters or experiencing homelessness a chance to give back to others, have a community and finance their troop activities through cookie sales.

Giselle Burgess, a mother of two, started the troop after she and her daughters lost their home. They were living in the New York City shelter system, and the troop started with seven girls in her shelter. Now, the troop is made up of more than 2,500 women and girls across more than 20 shelters.

The program is free for families who are living in shelters, and the cookie sales help cover the costs of trips, weekly activities and camps for the girls.

“This population of young women has seen incredibly traumatic events,” Meridith Maskara, CEO of Girl Scouts of Greater New York, said. “So by them seeing us care for them so much, and of course they’re learning (they) can give that back.”

Michigan boy found safe after two days in wildernessEli Talsma, a friend of Nante Niemi, carries Niemi to safety after he was located in the woods two miles from the campsite. Niemi spent over 48 hours in the woods after getting lost returning to his family’s campsite. (Hurley School District)

An eight-year-old boy was found more than two days after going missing from his family’s campsite in the upper Michigan peninsula. Nante Niemi got lost returning to the campsite and spent two nights alone in the woods with temperatures dropping into the mid-40s.

Search and rescue teams from the area helped find Niemi, including Eli Talsma, a friend who was brought in to be a familiar face when they found Niemi.

Niemi was careful not to drink water while he was lost as he did not want to get sick, and was found circling an area about two miles away from the campsite. Niemi was found in good health and was reunited with his family.