K9 Puskas – Santa Ana, California

Handler – Officer Luis Galeana 

Puskas, Beloved Santa Ana Police K-9, Has Died

Puskas, the hardworking Santa Ana Police K-9 who took down a violent parolee in 2018, has died, according to the Santa Ana Police Department. The 12-year-old Dutch shepherd fell ill on Friday night and had to be rushed to the veterinarian, his owner said in a memorial post to Puska’s Instagram account. “The vet rushed Puskas into surgery without hesitation, but sadly, he did not survive,” the post read. “There are no words to describe the pain my family and I are experiencing.” Puskas’s brave confrontation with the parolee during a pursuit in 2018 allowed officers to make the arrest. It also resulted in the dog losing at least six teeth. Puskas, named for a Hungarian soccer player, had to go into surgery for his jaw at VCA Yorba Regional Animal Hospital. He recovered, and the animal hospital awarded the dog a “purple heart” for his “selflessness and bravery through it all.” Puskas later returned to work with the Santa Ana Police department. After 5 years of police service, Puskas retired in October of 2019. He had a resume of accolades at the time: deployed 100 times, apprehended 50 suspects and successfully completed more than a dozen takedowns. Thank you for always watching over my family when I’m away,” Officer Luis Galeana, Puskas’s police handler and owner said. “We love you and always will. RIP my Puskie.”

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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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