Campus K-9s Celebrated at UC Davis Community Event
Earlier this month, the UC Davis Police Department hosted a special birthday celebration honoring two beloved members of the campus K-9 community. Both K-9 officers for the Davis campus celebrated birthdays this month, with Leia turning two and Cali turning three.
The event brought together faculty, staff, students, campus partners and four-legged guests for an afternoon of celebration and community engagement. Attendees had the opportunity to meet the K-9 officers, take photos and spend time with members of the department’s CORE team. The celebration also included a visit from Cori, UC Davis’ “rocket dog,” who joined the festivities alongside her campus K-9 friends.
Officer Rob Sotelo, K-9 Officer Cali’s handler, and Officer Joe Connors, K-9 Officer Leia’s handler, welcomed attendees and shared more about the role that the K-9 team plays in campus safety and outreach.
“Seeing the campus community come together to celebrate the K-9 officers was really meaningful,” Sotelo said. “It was a fun way to share the work our K-9 team does and connect people with campus resources.”
Behind the scenes, the event was made possible through partnership with Conference and Event Services (CES), whose team helped coordinate and organize the celebration. While CES is best known for supporting academic conferences, professional meetings and university events, staff said the celebration was a nice opportunity to create a different kind of campus experience. Their assistance helped create a welcoming environment where attendees could engage with officers and learn more about the K-9 program.
“This was such a unique opportunity for our team to help bring people together to celebrate these K-9 officers,” Carla Datanagan, marketing and program manager for CES, said. “We were happy to contribute to such a joyful experience.”
Events like these reflect the police department’s ongoing commitment to engaging the community and strengthening relationships across campus.
"The K-9 officers help bring comfort, reduce stress, and create positive connections throughout our campus community every day one tail wag at a time," Connors said.
For many attendees, the event offered a memorable opportunity to spend time with UC Davis’ most recognizable four-legged partners while celebrating the sense of community they help foster across campus.