K9 Bud – Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Died 4/15/20
Handler – Officer Trisha Saeger

Retired Sheboygan police dog Bud died. He worked with the department for almost 10 years.

A retired Sheboygan police dog named Bud has died, the department said Wednesday. Bud worked with the Sheboygan Police Department from March 2009 until Dec. 10, 2018, with his partner, Officer Trisha Saeger, the department said in a Facebook post. “Bud was an amazing partner and made a lasting impression on the department and the Sheboygan Community,” the department wrote on Facebook. “We are grateful for his service and ask that you keep Officer Saeger in your prayers the next few days.” The Sheboygan Police Department has had a canine unit since 1989, according to its website. The first three police dogs were used for both patrol work and narcotics detection until 2006, when the department decided to use the dogs solely for drug detection. Bud was the department’s fifth police dog.

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.