At the University of Alabama at Birmingham, keeping campus safe is a team effort for the Department of Police and Public Safety — and now that team includes a couple wagging tails.
Two German shorthaired pointers, Dolly and Daks, recently became the newest members of the UAB Police force. They each bring specialized skills — including the ability to detect things that should not be on campus — as well as plenty of energy to safety operations.
“K9 Dolly is here to be an extra set of eyes, be an extra layer of protection, and make the UAB community feel safe and welcome,” said Dolly’s partner, UAB Police Officer Marvin Henderson.
The two K9 officers are assigned to patrol across UAB’s campus, where faculty, staff, students and patients can expect to see their friendly faces in both academic and UAB Medicine buildings. While it can be difficult, individuals should refrain from petting Dolly and Daks as they are working K9s.
Daks (left) and Dolly (right) help monitor and protect the UAB campus, helping make all Blazers feel welcome and safe.“If you see the dogs out with their vests on, they are working, and they need to stay focused on their mission,” Henderson said.
Dolly and Daks have several things in common — both came to UAB from Croatia, both love a good treat, and both are known for their high energy and big personalities.
“Dolly’s personality is similar to a 3-year old who is hyped up on a bunch of sugar. She has so much energy and persistence, but that is what makes her so good at her job.”
The K9 duo live by the motto “Work hard, play hard.” Throughout the day, they like to take a few minutes, step outside, and enjoy the occasional game of tug-of-war or fetch with their partners before getting back to work.
“Daks is an awesome co-worker; he makes my job so much easier,” said Daks’ partner, UAB Police Officer Brandon Sellers. “He is so good at his job, and when he is in ‘work mode,’ it is awesome to watch him.”