AMERICUS, Ga. (WALB) - A therapy dog in South Georgia is being recognized for helping first responders address mental health challenges.

Bailey, a 5-year-old Labradoodle Goldendoodle mix, is the only GMR therapy dog in Georgia. He works with Air Evac Lifeteam in Americus to help first responders open up about their mental health struggles while on the job.

His handler, Chase Lott, program director for Air Evac Lifeteam Base 86, said Bailey’s job is to be there for those who are there for the community.

“What the therapy dog, what we utilize our therapy dogs to do, and what Bailey does is put smiles on faces,” Lott said. “For a long time, hospitals and other places have had therapy dogs for patients. Nothing for the providers. So GMR started this program of providing therapy dogs for the providers, for those people who are already helping other people.”

Bailey recently received the Georgia EMS Region 5 Resilience Award for his work supporting provider wellness and mental health awareness among emergency responders.

“Proud. Humbled. So that was amazing. I had no idea that he was getting awarded or getting recognized for that,” Lott said. “With the dogs is 100% unconditional love. They’re going to love you. And that’s what I love so much about working with Bailey.”

Lott said Bailey’s instincts help first responders who are having trouble processing what they have been through.

“We’re in a room and somebody wasn’t wanting to talk, it was a tragic event that they lost one of their own. Bailey, go back to that person and just sit in front of him and lay his head in their lap, or even crawl up in their lap,” Lott said. “And for him to go there and do that, and then that person take their walls down.”

Lott said his and Bailey’s work is helping encourage more conversations about mental health among emergency medical providers.

“For the longest time in public safety and health care profession, we’ve always been taught to, you can’t show emotion. You’ve got to bury your feelings. You’ve got to hide everything,” Lott said. “We’ve got to break that stigma. And this is something that these dogs can do.”

Lott said he and Bailey hope to continue to help break that stigma surrounding EMS workers and first responders as they travel across the country during EMS week.

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