COTTAGE GROVE – The City lost a beloved member of the police department on Nov. 20 as comfort K9 Sabrina died after being struck by a vehicle on Highway 99 just north of River Rd.
CGPD Police Chief Cory Chase said in a news release: “We are incredibly heartbroken and devastated by this tragedy. Sabrina was a loved member of our department and the Cottage Grove community. We are all struggling with this tragedy and grieving the loss of our beloved Sabrina.”
Sabrina was a 1-year-old golden retriever and black lab mix. After a swearing-in ceremony in October, she joined the team to assist officers during high-stress calls, help deescalate tense situations, and comfort crime victims.
She was explicitly trained in behavioral mental health services. Rather than enforcement or detection, Sabrina’s role was for emotional support.
The comfort companion was donated by Working Dogs Oregon, a nonprofit that covers the cost of training and placement of K9s. Darin Campbell, director, said Sabrina was a sister of the University of Oregon police comfort dog Daisy.
The litter featuring the duo was born an hour after Campbell’s own dog, Fergus, passed.
“Sabrina was a very special girl. She did tremendous. Her superpower was interacting with people, and she was destined to be in the comfort therapy dog world,” Campbell said. “She was just sweet. Sweet and special are words that are probably not good enough to describe her.”
