Texas Border Business
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Gio the English Labrador has a profound gift—to calm, comfort, and uplift people in the face of tragedy and loss.
Giovanni (“Gio”) joined the FBI’s Crisis Response Canine Pilot Program in 2015. A decade later, thanks to the service of Gio and his canine partner Wally, the FBI has become a national leader in the field of federal crisis response canines.
Now, at 12 years old, Gio will retire from his official duties at the end of the year.
Gio has completed over 140 assignments and has deployed across the country to provide on-the-ground support during some of the nation’s worst mass violence incidents, such as the Pulse Nightclub shooting and the elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
Gio was also the very first facility dog to assist a victim during witness testimony in a federal courtroom, paving the way for Wally and other crisis canines to help victims find the courage to share their experiences in sensitive settings.
Together, Gio and Wally have supported over 4,100 victims and their families.
“They help us as investigators to engage with victims in a way where victims feel calm and confident and can tell us their stories and really sensitive situations,” said FBI Victim Services Assistant Director Shohini Sinha. “Victims go from being scared and really reticent to engage to being able to tell us their stories about what happened to them. As a result, we can have more information to help with our investigations and hold perpetrators accountable.”
Studies have shown that the act of petting a dog helps the human body release a chemical called oxytocin, a hormone that induces calmness. An oxytocin surge also helps victims make sense of their experiences. And the faster you can get oxytocin to your brain after experiencing a traumatic event, the less it stays in your long-term memory and becomes long-term trauma.
Crisis response canines can’t do their jobs alone. To help people and communities in need, they rely on their faithful human companions—the Bureau’s expert canine handlers.
For Gio, that’s Melody, from the FBI Victim Services Division (VSD). She knew that Gio was special from day one.
“The FBI partnered with Assistance Dogs of the West out of Santa Fe, New Mexico, to acquire Gio and Wally. During the matching process, where the handlers meet the puppies, Gio really stood out,” she said. “When I first met him, he was with a bunch of school-aged kids. The kids were surrounding him, and he was the most chill 2-year-old lab that I’d ever seen. Ever. He just had a really sweet temperament. And we connected immediately.”
Since then, Melody and Gio have worked side-by-side for the past 10 years.
“My role really is to be invisible behind that leash and let him do his thing—and that’s to mitigate the stress and anxiety of the most vulnerable victims that we serve. It’s been an honor, and really, it’s been the highlight of my career.”
As a result of the successful inaugural Crisis Canine program, in April 2025, two golden Labradors, Taz and Peg, joined the Bureau. Taz and Peg are stationed in the FBI Atlanta and Dallas field offices so they are geographically positioned to deploy to areas of future need more easily.
“Our long-term goal is to continue to grow the program and have dogs available in regions across the nation, so when there is a mass violence incident, dogs can respond quickly and begin that bridge-building and healing process for victims,” said Sinha.
On December 9, Gio and Melody were honored at a ceremony at FBI headquarters for their service.
“Gio, you have the thanks of a grateful workforce and nation,” expressed FBI Assistant Deputy Director Chad Yarbough, one of the keynote speakers at the event.
Now that Gio’s hanging up his harness for good, he’s getting the best retirement gift of all: A furr-ever home with Melody, who will adopt him post-retirement.
Gio’s once raven-black coat is now streaked with gray, but his presence still lights up a room.
His future is bright as he prepares to live out his golden years doing what he loves best—resting outside on the deck, sniffing the air, and occasionally chasing a squirrel or two.
