K9 Butch – Erie County, New York

Died – 2/1/22

Handler – Dep. Dan Orzech 

Retired Erie County K-9 Butch dies

The Erie County Sheriff’s Office announced “with heavy hearts” on Feb. 1 that retired K-9 Butch died. Butch came to the sheriff’s office in 2013 and was the agency’s first K-9 after a long absence, ECSO said. He worked with Dep. Dan Orzech and “did an outstanding job together until Butch was diagnosed with a degenerative spinal issue and had to be medically retired,” according to ECSO. ECSO said once Orzech was assigned a new K-9, Butch went to live with his new “parents,” retired Sandusky Police Chief John Orzech and his wife, Jean. The Erie County Sheriff’s Office shared the following statement on Butch’s passing: “We are very grateful to John and Jean, who provided Butch with a loving and caring home and, as a result, Butch thrived and survived his illness several years longer than he was predicted to live after being first diagnosed by the vet. Thank you very much to John and Jean. While we mourn the loss of Butch, we appreciate the attention that he was given later in life and we know that he is in a better place. RIP Butch!”

 

 

Submitted By Jim Cortina

James A. Cortina has been involved with police dogs since 1972 and currently on the Board of Directors for the Connecticut Police Work Dog Association Inc. Jim has been appointed as Treasurer since its inception in 1991. Jim is one of the charter members of the C.P.W.D.A. organization. Since 1975 he has been a certified professional dog trainer and received his Master Trainer Certification in 1985. During his career he has provided armed K-9 strike crowd control for security agencies in Connecticut and out of state security companies. In conjunction with other members of the Connecticut Police Work Dog Association Inc. Board of Directors, he helped to draft Connecticut Statute 53-247(e) "Intentional Injury or Killing of Police K-9" which was passed by the Senate in 1993 and also assisted in implementing the prestigious Daniel Wasson Memorial K-9 Award in 1992. In 1993 he helped coordinate the North American Police Work Dog Association Nationals in New London, Connecticut. He was appointed Training Director for the New London County Work Dog Association from 1985-1987. He performed decoy work for Connecticut Police Work Dog Association Inc. in police K-9 demonstrations, trained several local police department canines, and coordinated training workshops for out-of-state police departments. He participated in the United States Police K-9 Association Trials in Croton on Hudson, New York in 1985 as a decoy. He is an avid photographer and received photography awards in 1989, 1990, and 1991 and currently takes photographs for the Connecticut Police Work Dog Association Inc.