Young Hyundai of Ogden, in partnership with several other local businesses, took time to gift 18 police dogs representing agencies across Weber County “from North Ogden to Roy” and including the Weber County Sheriff’s Office with Christmas gift bags filled with treats, toys and other items. Their human partners in law enforcement also received Stanley Cups filled with treats.

Edith Hornsby, customer service coordinator with Young Hyundai, told the Standard-Examiner that the idea was one she’d done on her own years ago.

“About six years ago, I did this on my own just in my yard, but there were only five dogs then,” she said. “I decided, ‘You know what? I need a project. I’m going to do it again.’ I called and found out there are 18 (police dogs today). I was like, ‘Wow, that’s a little bit bigger than me.’ So I brought it to my general manager and my service manager and they said, ‘Yes, let’s do this.'”

She said each canine’s gift bag included toys, a blanket, treats and gift cards to Starbucks for pup cups along with hats and key chains for their human handlers.

“It’s just a big bag of joy,” she said.

Among those recipients of a big bag of joy was Murphy of the Weber County Sheriff’s Office, accompanied by Deputy Dalton Gullo.

“It’s awesome to get a little bit of recognition,” Gullo told the Standard-Examiner. “Everybody loves dogs, so it’s good to get us out there. It takes a lot of training and effort that people don’t recognize.”

Honrsby said she hopes this won’t be the last holiday event for law enforcement canines.

“We’re hoping to make it an annual thing and possibly make it bigger next year and extend to Davis County,” she said.

She added that events like this are important for acknowledging an important part of area law enforcement that many may not fully understand.

“Most people are afraid of them,” she said. “But really, at the end of the day, when they’re off duty, they’re just dogs. They like treats, they like toys, they like attention just like a regular dog and they work so hard for us. Why not appreciate them? I hope that officers get appreciated all year long, but I don’t think a lot of people really think about their canines, and they’re very important to us.”