‘He earns his hay’: Meet Ringo the police pony, who spreads happiness everywhere he goes

A pony is on patrol at Virginia Tech, spreading happiness across campus. Ringo even has booties and a diaper as part of his uniform at the Virginia Tech Police Department.John Tarver, a member of the department, told WDBJ that Ringo is “an ambassador ofgoodwill and spreading happiness.”So, how did Ringo end up with his crime-stopping role?Leslie Gregg, Ringo’s owner, previously took him on walks around Virginia Tech’s campus and captured the attention of many, including someone with the police department.”I happened to run into someone on campus that was overseeing the Virginia Tech Police Department. And she said, ‘oh my gosh, I’ve fallen in love with this pony, I’d love to have you come and be a part of our program,'” she said.Ringo has been on the job ever since.”I feel that if he can be a stress reliever and bring joy during difficult times, then he earns his hay,” Gregg said.Tarver said Ringo helps promote the department’s services while bringing a smile to faces across campus.”They’ll ask, ‘why do you have a police patrol pony?’ And of course, our answer is, why not?” Tarver said.Watch the video above to see Ringo in action!