K9 First Response Team of Maine
The K9 First Response Team of Maine is a beacon of hope and healing for those grappling with the aftermath of traumatic events or loss. As a dedicated community emergency response team, we focus on harnessing the powerful animal-human bond to foster recovery and emotional support. Our mission centers on guiding individuals through their healing journey, offering a comforting presence and a pathway towards recovery. We specialize in assisting families, children, first responders, and victims in coping with any type of trauma and serve as a vital link in their journey towards healing and recovery. With our expertly trained therapy dogs, we're committed to making a meaningful difference in the lives of those effected.
K9 First Response Team- Who We Are
Community Emergency Response Therapy Dog Team
We are a K9 Assisted Critical Response Team and our job is to provide comfort in a time of stress, grief and trauma.
A K9 First Response team consists of a handler and a dog who are trained to address psychological trauma and grief.
K9FR teams assist victims of disaster, crisis or a tragic event. We serve communities, individuals, police, Fire, EMS and other Public Safety personnel.
What We Do
Research Shows that Animal Assisted Therapy Services Positively impact those in a community who have experienced trauma or loss.
K9 First Response teams offer a simple but effective mental health tool. Emotional support from a trained therapy dog- There are many treatment tools such as time off or incident debriefings but sometimes these tools are not enough. Visits with a K9 FR dog can bring so much support with out all the stigma associated with asking for help. Often no words are needed. The comfort and unconditional love from a K9 FR dog often become a bridge for many who have suffered a traumatic event to connecting with mental health services.
How We Serve
Our K9 First Response teams visit communities and First Responders. We make a connection with those who have been impacted by trauma and provide support and guidance in helping people find emotional balance and mental clarity.
Here are the ways we serve a community:
On call- we are deployed immediately after a traumatic event or disaster has occured - Our K9 FR team is on location to provide emotional support in the aftermath of a critical incident
Visits to Fire Stations, Police Stations, 911 call center and emergency situations.
Visits to debriefing session after a high stress incident.
Regular Shift visits / peer support to hospital staff and EMT.
Our Collaborations & Partnerships
We collaborate with Local Mental Health Organizations, First Responders, Department of Education, and Crisis Centers.
Currently in collaboration with the Tri County Mental Health of Lewiston Maine, Lewiston Resiliency Center and Pet Partners.
In the news…
We were honored to be featured in the Tourist & Town Magazine in their Winter 2023-2024 edition for our work in Lewiston, Maine.
Enjoy the article by clicking the button below.
We were thrilled to be featured in the Sun Journal for our work in Lewiston, Maine.
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Honored to be selected as one of the “Hannaford 20 Outstanding Women of 2024.”
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Honored to be selected as one of the “Hannaford 20 Outstanding Women of 2024.”
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Meet the Team
Kimberly Brown, Handler
Certified in animal assisted crisis response
Degree in Educational Psychology
Psychological First Aid (PFA)
Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM)
Specialties include K9 First Response, Providing support in Cancer centers, home visits, hospice and mental health agencies
FEMA IS
Over a decade of experience working as a therapy dog team.
Campbell, 12 Year old Goldendoodle
11 years as a working K9 Animal Assisted therapy Dog
READ (Reading Education Assisted Therapy Dog) Certified
Trained and insured through Pet Partners
Favorite activity is listening to stories and long walks in the woods.
Sky, 6 Year old Goldendoodle
5 years K9 Animal Assisted Therapy Dog
2 Years Assisted Critical Response
Trained and insured through Pet Partners
Favorite Activity are eating treats and chasing seagulls.
Are you interested in becoming a registered therapy dog team?
To become a certified Therapy Dog team, the handler and dog must successfully complete the certification process. If you are interested please take a look at the process below. If you have questions about how to start the process, please email me and I would be very happy to help!
Certification Process & Team Qualifications
Requirements to join the K9 First Response Team of Maine:
Must be at least 18 years old.
Your dog must be at least 2 years old.
Prospective teams must be a member with an established and recognized therapy dog organization.
Background check in identity, Criminal History, Motor Vehicle Records and Drivers history.
If you are NOT a member of a recognized therapy dog organization and would like to become a team, here is what you need to do.
Basic training- make sure your dog has basic obedience training and commands.
Temperament assessment- assess your dogs temperament for therapy work. They must be calm, sociable and comfortable in various environments.
Health check- make sure your dog is in good health and up to date on all vaccinations.
Go to Pet Partners website - www.petpartners.org and register for the Therapy Animal Handler Program.
Sign up for a team evaluation.