Warren County Sheriff’s Office School Resource K-9 Olive sits with Erin Willman of White Cane Foundation during a visit to White Cane Coffee. Photo by Brian Ferry

WARREN, Pa. — Not only is the Warren County Sheriff’s Office new school resource dog going to help students — and helping one is enough to change the world — she is also going to pave the way for more dogs to help more students in more counties.

That’s how the officers of the White Cane Foundation see it.

Olive is not the traditional law enforcement canine.

She is a 4-year-old Labrador retriever. She’s calm, quiet, patient, and friendly.

“School Resource Officer Deputy Joshua Warmath came to may saying, ‘We’re missing something,'” Sheriff Brian Zeybel said.

He wanted a bridge between the students and law enforcement. “A dog would do wonders,” he said.

Warmath wasn’t looking for a dog to sniff out drugs or apprehend anyone. “A therapy dog,” he said. “A hug-dog.”

While Warmath starting looking into the possibility, Zeybel thought of Tiger, the facility dog at the Children’s Advocacy Center.

He talked to Executive Director Melissa McLean. “She said, ‘This is the guy you need to talk to,'” Zeybel said.

The guy was Bob Willman of White Cane Foundation

The foundation was started by Erin Willman and her family. Erin lost her sight when she was 15. She and her parents have been through not knowing what to do and where to turn.

Over time, they made all the connections. They use those skills with the foundation to help others.

“We’ve been through this before,” Erin Willman said. “Whatever we can do to lessen the blow, we’re going to do it.”

Sometimes, the others who need the foundation’s help are a Children’s Advocacy Center or a sheriff’s office.

Guide dogs are not exactly therapy dogs. But, the training for guide dogs makes them patient, attentive, calm, and comforting, in addition to being able to help people navigate safely among many skills.

Olive has those traits. When her owner no longer required her services, she was old enough that placing her with another person who is blind was not ideal.

But, her age was not a barrier for the sheriff’s office. And her training made her a great candidate for going into a school and comforting a child who needs some help.

Zeybel described a situation where an SRO is walking through the hall and sees a child sitting in the hall. The SRO could reach out, sit down, chat. But, a man in a uniform with a badge is not a golden Labrador retriever with puppy-dog eyes and an enthusiastic tail wag.

The research was showing Zeybel and Warmath that a fully-trained dog would cost $20,000 to $30,000 and be delivered in a year or so.

The timing wasn’t a problem and the cost was manageable. There were some local groups lined up to help with some of the funding.

Zeybel talked to Bob Willman.

He said he would find a dog.

“A week-and-a-half later, I have a dog,” Zeybel said. “I was thinking next spring, at best.”

“This is the focus of the foundation,” Willman said. “To connect people to those resources.”

The timing was too fast, in some ways. Zeybel has not yet spoken to President Judge Maureen Skerda for her thoughts and guidance on whether Olive should be a deputy and what roles she will be allowed to do within the courthouse.

With White Cane Foundation tracking down the resource, the funding from the Snell Foundation and Lions Gate Wealth Management covered the costs.

There was no cost to the taxpayers for acquiring the dog.

Some ongoing costs are already covered. Zeybel said Russell Veterinary Hospital has agreed to provide Olive’s care. “We’re working with a large food manufacturer,” he said.

“Let’s keep it from any burden on the county,” he said. “This is a resource you don’t have to worry about. We’re here every day you need us.”

Erin Willman said Olive will change the lives of the students she interacts with.

Bob Willman expects Olive will help more than students. “I think the mood in your office is going to go us because she’s there for you when you’re having a bad day,” he said.

“The dog is designed to be a caretaker,” Zeybel said. “I don’t think we could have found a better dog.”

“What she lives for is exactly what you want her to do,” Willman said.

“That kid sitting in the hallway, crying… that bump with the nose. That would have bridged that gap and changed the dynamics of that child’s day instantaneously,” Zeybel said. “They’ll talk to Olive.”

“This is where this dog is going to be invaluable,” he said. “That is going to be invaluable in that kind of encounter.”

Olive’s temperament is ideal. And she has the training of a guide dog… she was doing the job for years. The difference is, the sheriff’s office isn’t getting her as a puppy. The intensive training was done for someone else. She isn’t ready to retire, but is too old to make sense learning to serve a new owner as a guide dog.

Willman expects Warren County to be on the leading edge of the School Resource K-9 program.

“This was a great idea,” Zeybel said. “Right now, I don’t think this program is going to stop with one” dog.

Willman also expects the sheriff’s office will want to bring on another dog. Then, sheriffs from other counties might talk to Zeybel and be convinced.

“I want to see it in all the sheriff’s offices,” Willman said.

For now, Olive is finding her way and the sheriff’s office is learning about her.

She was introduced at the Food Truck Festival over the weekend and rode in the back of the sheriff’s office vehicle in the 4th of July Parade.

She will also be introduced — and continually featured — on social media. Her Instagram username is wcso–k9olive.