Heidi turns 2!

Heidi, the Yale Police Department’s (YPD) service dog, turned two on Thursday, April 1! A small party held at the YPD was organized by her handler Officer Richie Simons and included balloons, vegan treats, and lots of playtime. Attendees included several YPD detectives and officers with a special appearance by Yale’s mascot Handsome Dan XIX, also known as Kingman. 

Also, there celebrating and running alongside Heidi, were YPD’s detection dog Blue, Whitney (retired detection dog), and Chase, the Groton Police Department’s Service Dog. 

The gourmet pumpkin barkday cake, crunchy pops, and gummy treats were handmade by Chef Andrey J. Martineau of Bone A Petreat. All canine attendees got to sample the cake and take home goodie bags full of healthy edible snacks.Heidi celebrates her birthday with Officer Rich Simons.

Heidi, a yellow Labrador Retriever, has been serving the Yale Community as its first official service dog since September 2020. She specializes in providing companionship and support to the Yale and New Haven communities and looks to bring joy wherever she can. Together with Officer Simons, Heidi has visited almost 100 people, departments, and local businesses, and has almost 1,000 followers on Instagram.

Due to her popularity with students, staff and more, and her growing social media presence, the Princeton University Police Department has decided to obtain a service dog also from Puppies Behind Bars.

When not on duty, Heidi lives with Officer Simons and his family and enjoys playing fetch and getting belly rubs.

To request a visit from Heidi, select the card on the bottom of your LiveSafe app home screen. Then fill out the required fields, and Officer Simons will coordinate a visit.