Canine Officer Tildy was wished her farewells on Tuesday, Feb. 4, at her retirement celebration at the Wilbur Cross Building.
Tildy is the University of Connecticut’s oldest and longest serving canine officer, said Chief Gene Labonte, UConn’s chief of police. She served as a mentor to dogs all over the state, as she was the first official facility dog in Connecticut, Labonte added.
Serving a total of seven years, Tildy’s time at UConn began on March 30, 2018, and officially ended Feb. 4, 2025. In dog years, Tildy served a total of 49 years, surpassing the longest serving officer at UConn who served a total of 44, Labonte joked.
Students, faculty, dogs and officers came together to celebrate this milestone for the retiree. A plethora of students could be seen waiting in a line that led outside the building, patiently awaiting the party.
The event was decorated to cater to Tildy and her fellow officers’ interests. While t-shirts and refreshments, including a bone-shaped cake, were offered to students, goodie bags filled with treats and water stations for the dogs were found in every corner of the room. Each table was embellished with a centerpiece consisting of tennis balls and treats.
Speeches were presented by those closest to Tildy. Her handler, Officer Justin Cheney, explained that his experience at UConn has been greatly shaped for the better by Tildy. Cheney presented a video showing Tildy growing up through the years, with the audible “aww” from the audience every few seconds.
Karla Negron, a second-semester psychology major said, “I think the best part of the event was having all the UConn students coming as one to say bye to the dog that has been here for a while. It is just nice to see how we come as family and a community.”
“This shows the community cares. The dogs help with people’s mental health a lot and they have memories with that,” shared Naisha Rios, a second-semester ACES student.
It is just nice to see how we come as family and a community.
Karla Negron, UConn Second-Semester Psychology Student
Tildy’s impact on campus has not gone unnoticed. Kind messages from students filled the pages of her guestbook, with students eager to give her some final words of acknowledgment. Tildy could be found in all her glory with a pink retirement sash on and students giving her lots of love.
Madeline Cosker, a second-semester human rights and social work major, said, “I just love Officer Tildy so much; she is my favorite. The first couple days of school, I was so nervous, and she was just there everywhere I looked to give pets and help.”
In support of their friend, Officer Carter, Jasmine, Jonathan XV, Jonathan XIV and canine officers from surrounding towns attended the event. The dogs walked around happily with their goodie bags hanging from their mouths.
“I absolutely love how so many dogs from different police stations came. I think that is hilarious and amazing,” told Cosker.
At the end of the ceremony, Tildy received her final honors. She was presented with an official retirement badge that all officers received, as well as her retirement ID. The formal changing of the vests occurred, and Tildy’s younger sister, Jasmine, was given her official officer collar, now taking her sister’s place alongside Carter.
“I think having the dogs on campus with the police or without them creates a better sense of community and creates interactions between police officers and students, which softens the intimidation,” Cosker shared.
To end her very own party, as crowds of students surrounded her, Tildy left her fans with two final barks of gratitude, almost seeming to say, “Thank you.”