Supporting Service: K9 Blitzen offers mental, emotional support to CBP agents, family
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Support animals have long been in use across the U.S., and since January, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol has been actively using K9s to emotionally and mentally support their staff.
K9 Blitzen is one of six official support dogs currently serving CBP personnel. He has been specially trained to support agents and family following traumatic incidents, officers passing and other significant events.
ABC-7's "Be Mindful" Correspondent Avery Martinez was able to meet and interact with this service animal, and his handler, Brian Bagwell -- a chaplain and supervisor with CBP. The pair shared some of their experiences and day-to-day adventures with him.
The pair travel across USBP facilities and meet with agents. Their interactions are confidential, except in very specific circumstances. Blitzen and Bagwell are available to personnel without restriction.
Avery Martinez covers mental health in the Borderland as part of ABC-7’s Be Mindful initiative. He is also a Report for America corps member. RFA places talented, emerging journalists in newsrooms like ABC-7’s to report on under-covered issues and communities. Report for America is an initiative of The GroundTruth Project, an award-winning nonprofit journalism organization dedicated to rebuilding journalism from the ground up.
