K9 Q – Duchesne County, Utah

Died – 8/1/17
Handler – Cpl. Morant Harrison

Duchesne County K-9 dies after battling aggressive, terminal cancer

A former Duchesne County sheriff’s K-9 died Tuesday after suddenly losing her eyesight and the ability to walk. Q, one of two K-9s with the sheriff’s office, was diagnosed with “a fast-acting, very aggressive form” of terminal cancer earlier this summer, according to her handler, Duchesne County Sheriff’s Cpl. Morant Harrison. She was medically retired from the sheriff’s office last Friday.Shortly after she was retired, Q lost sight in her remaining eye and could no longer walk, a press release states. Her deteriorating condition prompted the sheriff’s office to euthanize Q on Tuesday. The 2-year-old German Shepard underwent emergency surgery earlier this summer to remove her right eye where the cancer was found. The veterinary specialist who treated Q gave her a few months to live and gave Harrison a list of symptoms to help him know when Q’s cancer returned and was causing her pain. “I’ve been deeply touched by the outpouring of support from people in Duchesne County and beyond following our announcement of Q’s cancer diagnosis,” said Sheriff David Boren. “The support and offers of assistance we’ve received in the past four days have helped sustain Cpl. Harrison and his family during this difficult time, and have been a huge comfort to the men and women of the sheriff’s office.” Q was buried with honors Tuesday evening on Harrison’s farm in a casket built by inmates who are enrolled in the Building Trades program at the Duchesne County Jail.”My wife and kids are very sad right now,” Harrison said in a statement last week. “And I’m not taking it too well, as you can imagine.” Q was a very social dog, he said, unlike some police K-9s. She was never muzzled when Harrison took her to area schools, he said. Whenever Q was off-duty, Harrison’s four children enjoyed playing with her. “She’s never shown any aggression unless I’ve given her a command,” Harrison said. “She’s made it very easy to be a handler.”

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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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