A Second Calling for Retired CIA K9s

“I have found that when you are deeply troubled, there are things you get from the silent devoted companionship of a dog that you can get from no other source.” – Doris Day

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One year ago, CIA rolled out our first-ever K9 Wellbeing Program. The program gives officers a chance to take a break from work and spend time with Agency working dogs… who just so happen to be sweet and lovable Labrador Retrievers. We are pleased to report that the program has been mutually beneficial for the workforce and the Security Protective Service (SPS) K9s that take part.

Just look at some of our K9s on the CIA seal! How could they not bring a bit of joy to your day?

Cultivating A Culture of Wellbeing

For anyone who doesn’t know the Agency well, CIA has always been a hard-charging, can-do culture. No matter the directorate or job, or whether it’s located here or abroad, there’s no denying that officers in the line of duty have endured physical and mental stress. Add to that the burden of not being able to talk about work-related stressors with anyone outside of cleared spaces.

The Agency in recent years has begun weaving another thread into CIA culture to ensure we have a healthy, strong, and resilient workforce to carry out the mission—that of wellbeing. Progress is perhaps most easily seen walking past the Langley Field House, which is open 24/7 and bustling with activity even before the sun comes up. The health and fitness facility has become a staple in many officers’ daily routines.

With wellbeing in mind, SPS K9 Commander and Major Wesley’s handler proposed allowing employees to engage with retired security dogs to enhance employee wellbeing. It was an easy sell!

Launch of the K9 Wellbeing Program

Before the K9 Wellbeing Program officially launched, retired Major Wesley—an affectionate, brave, and curious black Labrador Retriever—attended events and visited offices across Headquarters, much to the delight of everyone who crossed his path. He and his handler made their rounds operating solely by word-of-mouth.

CIA Director William Burns stopping to pet a K9 in the halls of Headquarters.

Soon, employees inundated the Directorate of Support’s Office of Security with requests for their own K9 engagements to combat fatigue and burnout. The overwhelming interest in office visits sealed the deal for the program. Other K9s and their handlers joined the wellbeing initiative and, starting last June, officers have been able to book appointments with one of the wellbeing dogs.

The program was an instant hit. Reservations quickly filled up, and the K9 visits moved to the Langley Field House to give more officers a chance to participate. There, during the normal workday, attendees listen to K9 handlers talking about their retired dog’s career and interact with the pups.

Win-Win for Workforce and K9s

Many officers have reported that spending time with the K9s has provided them emotional relief and improved their physical and mental wellbeing. After all, science has shown that interacting with a dog helps lower blood pressure and boosts the mood. Well, what’s in it for the pups, you ask? While they do love human pats and attention, there’s more to it.

The K9 Wellbeing Program is a supplement to the operational requirements of CIA’s K9 security unit. All of the bomb sniffing dogs at the Agency are carefully selected as young pups. Each goes on to work with one SPS handler for the next 8 or 9 years, the age at which all retire.

Tradition has it that on the day that a handler’s new K9 partner graduates from explosives detection training, their old K9 is relieved of duty. It’s a bittersweet time, reminiscing on all of those years living and working side-by-side, sometimes at scary locales in far-flung corners of the world. As a handler welcomes the new dog into their homes, the handler is also given the chance to provide their retired K9 a forever home. Most accept, of course. Human K9 officers and their four-legged partners become family, and it’s impossible to separate a team!

The loyal souls then spend their golden years as dogs do—playing fetch, snoozing, sniffing out snacks, and following their loved ones around the house.  

A retired CIA K9 gets a kiss.

Thanks to this Agency initiative, the K9 Wellbeing Program gives our retired working dogs a new mission, along with food and veterinary assistance to these furry heroes after their security service has ended. CIA is the first federal entity to care for its retired working dogs in this capacity. This new program is a huge help to handlers who have a retired K9 and an active-duty K9 living at home with their families.

The K9 Wellbeing Program has effectively improved workforce morale and gives back to the dedicated and hardworking K9s providing the service. They’ve earned it.

Get to Know the Pups

Without further ado, we’d like to introduce some of CIA’s first Wellbeing Program K9s.

Major Wesley

Suki

Dory

Diesel

Calliope

Luke

Elsa

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In case you missed it, tune in to “Driving a New Focus on Wellbeing at CIA” (The Langley Files, File 011) to hear more from CIA’s first Chief Wellbeing Officer and a longtime operations officer about how the Agency is focused on fostering mental and physical health and resiliency across the workforce.