We are proud to announce the certification of K9 Maui, a therapy dog who is now officially part of the Gilroy community!

Maui was adopted from the San Martin Animal Shelter as part of a LEADERSHIP GILROY initiative to bring a working therapy dog to the community. We were honored to work with his handler Officer Odell to train and certify them as a therapy dog team.

Named after the beloved character voiced by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in Moana, K9 Maui will play a key role across Gilroy Unified School District campuses, providing support to students and staff during stressful situations. Maui will also assist various city departments, including dispatch, records, investigations, and other units as part of the Critical Incident Stress Debrief (CISD) and Wellness Team initiatives, and help foster positive relationships within the community.

At Operation Freedom Paws, we are dedicated to promoting mental health and well-being. We were honored to partner with the Gilroy Police Dept and Leadership Gilroy, and we’re excited to see the positive impact Officer Odell and K9 Maui will make in the Gilroy community together, please join us in congratulating them!