{"id":367807,"date":"2025-12-25T10:18:11","date_gmt":"2025-12-25T10:18:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/367807\/"},"modified":"2025-12-25T10:18:11","modified_gmt":"2025-12-25T10:18:11","slug":"the-working-dogs-that-dont-stop-for-the-festive-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/367807\/","title":{"rendered":"The working dogs that don’t stop for the festive season"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ElizabethElizabeth Kane<\/p>\n

Jojo, an autism support dog, is an invaluable companion 365 days a year<\/p>\n

By now, many of us are off work for Christmas Day and enjoying switching off with family and friends.<\/p>\n

Not so, for many of Northern Ireland’s dogs with jobs – the four-legged professionals who keep working just as they do at any other given time of the year.<\/p>\n

But even while working, their families are making sure they still have some festive fun and treats – as well as a lot of love.<\/p>\n

BBC News NI meets some of the working dogs who will remain on duty over Christmas.<\/p>\n

‘I love her – she’s one of my best friends’<\/p>\n

\"ElizabethElizabeth Kane<\/p>\n

Lucia says dog Jojo is her best friend<\/p>\n

Christmas is often a time of excitement, of more noise and bright lights, a time of festive hustle and bustle.<\/p>\n

For Lucia Kane, 17, from Crumlin in County Antrim, that can make it a more challenging time. She is autistic and has Tourette syndrome. <\/p>\n

Her support comes from Jojo, a seven-year-old black Labrador – one of Assistance Dogs NI support dogs.<\/p>\n

Jojo senses when stress levels rise. She responds by lying close or across Lucia to help calm her. <\/p>\n

Jojo’s presence offers reassurance when things become too much.<\/p>\n

“I really do love her, she’s one of my best friends,” Lucia told BBC News NI.<\/p>\n

\"ElizabethElizabeth Kane<\/p>\n

Jojo became part of Lucia’s world five years ago <\/p>\n

Lucia’s mum, Elizabeth Kane, said Jojo transformed her daughter’s life when the Labrador became part of the family five years ago.<\/p>\n

“She gives Lucia confidence and helps her talk to people,” she said.<\/p>\n

“Her presence de-stresses any situation one million percent.”<\/p>\n

\"ElizabethElizabeth Kane<\/p>\n

Jojo has recently recovered from a period of ill health<\/p>\n

“Christmas can be a lot more challenging,” Elizabeth added. <\/p>\n

“If we go out, there are more people, and [if] there is more people and more noise, Jojo will not leave Lucia’s side.”<\/p>\n

This Christmas, Elizabeth said, feels especially precious for the family.<\/p>\n

Jojo recently survived a serious illness after swallowing a stone. That left Jojo very poorly and Lucia distraught. <\/p>\n

“Lucia didn’t sleep, didn’t leave the house,” Elizabeth said.<\/p>\n

Now fully recovered, Jojo will be spoiled a little more this Christmas, she added.<\/p>\n

“Lucia will wrap her presents and Jojo will open them herself,” she said.<\/p>\n

“There will be extra gifts this year \u2013 and definitely turkey and ham on Christmas Day.”<\/p>\n

Keeping people safe at Christmas<\/p>\n

\"PSNIPSNI<\/p>\n

Igi, on the left and Kodi, pictured right, will be working in the north west on Christmas Day<\/p>\n

In Londonderry, a busy Christmas may lie ahead for Igi and Kodi.<\/p>\n

Like many emergency service personnel, this police dog (PD) pair have work to do over the holidays.<\/p>\n

“Unfortunately both Kodi and Igi will be on duty this Christmas Day,” Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Insp Neil Harrison said.<\/p>\n

A few rest days will come after, he said, adding that then they can enjoy their presents and get some rest.<\/p>\n

\"PSNIPSNI<\/p>\n

Often a bark or stern look from Igi can defuse a tense situation, Insp Harrison says<\/p>\n

PD Igi, a German Shepherd Dog, is a general police patrol dog. He could, Insp Harrison said, be called on to attend a variety of incidents over this festive season.<\/p>\n

“There is a lot more socialising and we see nightlife increase – and it is great to see – but, unfortunately, it does come with an increase in some anti-social behaviour, falling out amongst people and drink\/drug driving,” Insp Harrison said.<\/p>\n

However often, “a few choice barks” or “a stern look from the big fella” is all it takes to de-escalate the situation, the senior officer added.<\/p>\n

Insp Harrison said Christmas is a difficult time for some people and they can find themselves in crisis.<\/p>\n

PD Igi can also be called on to help in the search if someone goes missing.<\/p>\n

“Igi’s nose and tracking abilities can be invaluable to the policing efforts,” he said.<\/p>\n

“Those who need a little help are often glad to be found by a police dog.”<\/p>\n

\"PSNIPSNI<\/p>\n

Kodi is a PSNI search dog<\/p>\n

Cocker spaniel Kodi is one of the PSNI’s newest search dogs. <\/p>\n

“She enjoys nothing more than her favourite game of finding hidden items,” Insp Harrison said.<\/p>\n

In terms of Kodi’s policing work that could mean drugs or weapons. <\/p>\n

“Kodi is busy all year round helping the PSNI with our efforts to remove these items from criminals and locate drugs before they get into the communities,” he added.<\/p>\n

When the Christmas shift is done, Insp Harrison said, “relaxing and getting some rest” will be the priority for both dogs and handlers.<\/p>\n

He added: “All our dogs will be spend some time at home, at some point over the festive period where they enjoy Christmas just like everyone else.”<\/p>\n

Christmas on the farm<\/p>\n

\"ThomasThomas Conway<\/p>\n

Bowie will be out and about on the farm over Christmas<\/p>\n

Sheepdog Bowie, a collie and Australian Kelpie mix, has been farmer Thomas Conway’s right-hand dog on his cattle and sheep farm in Park, County Londonderry, for the last four years.<\/p>\n

“You couldn’t run a farm without a good sheepdog,” Thomas said.<\/p>\n

“That goes for all year round, a good sheepdog is worth 10 people on the farm,” he told BBC News NI.<\/p>\n

Spring lambing season is Bowie’s busiest time, but there’s still work to be done on the farm at Christmas.<\/p>\n

“At wintertime you are moving sheep and changing sheep. He is out most days all day, every day, he’ll be out on Christmas Day,” Thomas said.<\/p>\n

\"ThomasThomas Conway<\/p>\n

George, the springer spaniel will be out on the farm with Bowie and Thomas on Christmas Day<\/p>\n

Bowie’s never short of canine company, sharing farm life with Thomas’s other dogs, springer spaniels Bob, Lala, George and Flo.<\/p>\n

“We’ll be out three or four times, on Christmas Day,” Thomas said. <\/p>\n

“I will do my rounds in the morning, we’ll check the livestock, check the sheep that are out. Bowie and George will come with me,” he added.<\/p>\n

\"ThomasThomas Conway<\/p>\n

The spaniels will be at work at a Boxing Day shoot<\/p>\n

The springer spaniels, Thomas added, will work at a shoot on Boxing Day.<\/p>\n

Bowie, named because like musical icon David Bowie he has different coloured eyes, will enjoy a more relaxed day. <\/p>\n

\"ThomasThomas Conway<\/p>\n

Thomas says George, pictured, and all the other dogs, will get second helpings on Christmas day<\/p>\n

All five dogs, Thomas added, can also look forward to a Christmas treat or two.<\/p>\n

“They’ll get two feeds on Christmas Day, there will be turkey and ham, and the stuffing and some of the bones, they’ll be mad about that.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Elizabeth Kane Jojo, an autism support dog, is an invaluable companion 365 days a year By now, many…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":367808,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[43,44,41,39,42,40],"class_list":{"0":"post-367807","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-headlines","8":"tag-headlines","9":"tag-news","10":"tag-top-news","11":"tag-top-stories","12":"tag-topnews","13":"tag-topstories"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/367807","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=367807"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/367807\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/367808"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=367807"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=367807"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=367807"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}