K9 Hannah – Millville, New Jersey

Died – 10/26/17
Handler – Officer John Butschky

Millville police report off-duty death of K-9 Hannah

A Chesapeake Bay retriever used as a bomb-detecting dog here for almost nine years died last Thursday after a short medical condition, police Chief Jody Farabella announced on Monday.K-9 Hannah was 12 years old and had started with the department in December 2008. She was due to retire on Dec. 31 because of her advanced age.”She didn’t have much wrong with her,” her partner, Officer John Butschky, said. “She was 12 years old and I was going to retire her based off her age and giving her some time at home with the kids. “She loved my kids,” he said. “She was a very, very sweet dog. She actually, between the Sheriff’s Department and here, we used to bring her around to a lot of the schools. And all the kids petted her and they adopted her. She went to a lot of the Trick or Treat things.” Hannah and Butschky started together at the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department in 2007 before transferring to the Millville police force. The retriever almost met a very different fate as a young dog left in a shelter in North Jersey. Butschky said another dog handler from North Jersey contacted him about the retriever, telling him she would be euthanized in two days. He was there the next day. “I went up there right away and tested her, and she tested very well,” Butschky said. “And I took her to give her a chance.” Hannah was trained at the Atlantic County K-9 Academy, graduating at the top of her class. After graduating, she and Butschky joined the New Jersey State Police Detect and Render Safe Task Force. During her career, Hannah took part in hundreds of bomb investigations throughout the state and was assigned as security to Super Bowl 48 at MetLife Stadium. “I was actually assigned the first day to the Seahawks and the Broncos hotel rooms,” he said. “She searched the hotel rooms for explosives, which was really cool.” Butschky said Hannah will be cremated and returned to him.

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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.
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