If dogs are man’s best friend, then Mako wants to be yours! Meet Mako, a Belgian Malinois and the newest member of the Ochsner security team. Mark Dupuis, chief of security and emergency preparedness, says that Mako is a part of a new initiative to keep patients and staff safe.

“Here at Ochsner, we care for our patients’ and staff safety and we have a bigger initiative for workplace violence and this is one of our initiatives to keep our staff safe as well as our patients,” Dupuis said.

Malcolm Farber is an Ochsner security officer and Mako’s handler. Before coming to Ochsner, Farber worked in the K-9 division at the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office for 21 years.

“At 5 o’clock in the morning, when I put him in my truck, he knows exactly where he is going. He’s going to work! And the moment that we get to the property, his tail starts wagging, he starts barking because he knows he is as work,” Farber said

Mako is not only a security dog; he is also a comfort canine. He enjoys spreading happiness and hope wherever he goes.

“He presents a calming presence to a sometimes tense situation in healthcare where people are trying to heal. We’re trying to help people and Mako just makes your day a little bit better,” Dupuis said.

If you are lucky, you might catch Mako on duty at Ochsner Medical Center-New Orleans on Jefferson Highway or Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center.