AUSTIN, Texas — A therapy dog for the Austin Police Department has become a force for offering help in stressful situations, but now he's on the other side.

Since 2020, Tonka, a Great Dane, has provided countless support to people all over the Central Texas area. A surgery two weeks ago to address a twisted colon put a pause on Tonka's travels to visit different police and fire departments. However, the support has not stopped.

"The law enforcement, multiple police departments, fire departments' [support] was unbelievable — it's still unbelievable," Tonka's owner Courtney Leigh said.

Instead of Tonka delivering the support, Leigh said he has received so much support from not only officers he's come across, but the community as a whole. When officers found out what happened, they pitched

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