Tildy, UConn's Groundbreaking Community Outreach Dog, Retires

STORRS, CT — Tildy, the UConn Police Department's first community outreach dog, formally retired this week after seven years of service in Storrs.

Her final day on the job was Tuesday.

"Meeting Tildy has been a staple of the UConn experience, bringing immense amounts of joy to everyone she encounters on the Great Lawn, Fairfield Way, Horsebarn Hill, and pretty much every place at UConn where crowds gather, as well as classrooms and courthouses across the state," UConn officials said.

Sgt. Justin Cheney has been Tildy's partner since her arrival in 2018. Cheney said he has experienced events and moments at UConn he wouldn't normally be part of with Tildy — like Sunset Yoga to the Involvement Fair to HuskyTHON and immersion in campus life.

Cheney and UConn piloted the Community Outreach Facility Dog Program in Connecticut.

Cheney started at the UConn PD in 2015, and, after running programs and training in the Community Outreach Department, came up with the idea of getting a dog to "assist in areas like victim support or therapy sessions, to better engage the community and enhance the approachability of Community Outreach officers."

Tildy's little sister, Jazmine, completed her training with Cheney in August and has taken over as community outreach dog on a full-time basis. Tildy will also be visiting UConn on occasion even in retirement.