Good morning, Hopkinton! Welcome to the daily update we call Hopkinton Today — a quick recap of yesterday’s news, highlights of what’s on tap, and a photo of the day.

Therapy dog trained in de-escalation, comfort therapy 

Quinn, pictured hanging out at Town Common, is the Hopkinton Communication Department’s new therapy dog. PHOTO/ROB SAVOLT

Quinn, a 4-year-old poodle, is the newest member of the Hopkinton Communications Department.

The Hopkinton Police Department officially announced Quinn had joined the department back in July. Public safety dispatcher Rob Savolt, who is Quinn’s handler, explained the dog is intended to provide comfort therapy to first responders and others who come into the police station.

“He’s trained in anxiety de-escalation through pressure,” said Savolt. “It’s why he’s so good at hugs.”

The dispatcher had been looking to become a therapy dog handler when he and Quinn crossed paths, he explained. The poodle previously had been a service dog for a young girl with autism. She was unable to keep Quinn due to moving to a different level of care but the family still wished for him to keep working.

Savolt adopted the dog and trained him for his new job, getting him licensed as a therapy dog through Therapy Dogs United. He added that the license allows him and Quinn to work as a comfort team outside of the dispatch center.

Quinn accompanies Savolt on each of his shifts. “Whenever I’m working, he is with me,” Savolt said. The pair also make themselves available during off-hours in case an urgent situation arises.

The therapy dog program already has had an effect, Savolt noted. He recounted a recent experience with an individual who was having a panic attack in the lobby of the police station. “He made her feel better — calmed her down [to] where she was able to meet with officers and report what happened,” he said.

Savolt said he hopes to bring Quinn out to public events as sort of an ambassador for the the town’s Communications Department.

“A lot of times, people don’t know what we do or how we operate because we’re behind the scenes,” Savolt said of the dispatch center. “This allows me to get more involved … so we’re more visible to the community.”

— NICK SCHOFIELD

Latest News

Crews will shut down a water main on Hayden Rowe Street this morning as part of ongoing road reconstruction.

The latest Real Estate Transactions list shows 10 homes sold in the past week, including one for $2.4 million.

This week’s Library Corner features information on multiple author talks, a coding program for kids and a showing of the movie “Cars.”

Town meetings tonight include the Design Review Board (6), Elementary School Building Committee (6) and Economic Development Advisory Board (7).

Photo of the Day

Daisies bloom on a hill behind houses in the Legacy Farms neighborhood.

PHOTO/AMIT JAGDALE