In Loving Memory of
K9 SHILOH
June 7, 2009
Handler:
Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources
Jamestown Fire Department Water Rescue Unit
K9 Shiloh drowned in Lake Cumberland as his handler investigated a boating accident involving a houseboat at the Jamestown Marina on Lake Cumberland. After tying up in one of the boat slips his handler boarded the houseboat to speak with the occupants as part of the investigation. As he prepared to finish the investigation one of the occupants informed him that Shiloh was attempting to get out of his patrol boat. As he returned to his boat to check on Shiloh, the woman's daughter informed him that Shiloh jumped into the water after she released his collar because she believed he was choking. Shiloh's handler immediately ran to his boat and pushed it out of the slip, believing Shiloh was trapped between the boat and the dock. Despite searching the area for over one hour Shiloh was not recovered until a week later by the Jamestown Fire Department Water Rescue Unit.
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
In Loving Memory of
K9 SKY
December 29, 2009
 
Handler: Annette Sawyer
Search & Rescue
Scotland
Sad farewell to rescue dog Sky
Berkshire Search and Rescue has said a sad farewell to loyal search dog Sky who died just after Christmas. The Australian Kelpie, who has been a member of the team since 2004, was owned and looked after by Annette and Tom Sawyer. The couple said of her: “It was the summer of 1999 when we had set out to look for a chocolate Labrador and came home from a holiday in Scotland with a red and tan Australian Kelpie called Sky. “With her beautiful red hair, amber eyes and white toes she won our hearts at first sight. We looked for ways to keep her busy, someone said try agility with her.”
They continued: “We then turned our attention to search and rescue and in 2004 Sky passed her first operational assessment allowing her to search for missing people on behalf of the police. “She answered more than 50 calls for help over her years of service and took part in three searches that saved lives. “She spent her summer months attending shows, giving demonstrations and going to schools helping nervous children to trust dogs. All she asked in return was that she got to play with her favourite squeaky toy. “She was full of life and full of love.
She went to sleep in our arms in our front room on the Tuesday (December 29) morning. Her brothers and sisters then all spent time with us both, having a quiet cuddle with her.” Sky was cremated with full honours in her search and rescue coat with her favourite toy.
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
In Loving Memory of
K9 SAM
date 2009
Handler: David Lane
Dillon Police Department
Dillon, SC
phone: 848 774 0051
waiting for info from handler
In Loving Memory of
K9 SEM
June 28, 2009
Handler:
Officer William Jones
Three Rivers Police Department
Gallahar St & Highway 72
Three Rivers, TX 78071
(361) 786-2743
Three Rivers K-9 officer “Sem” died on Sunday, June 28, at approximately 2 a.m. Her cause of death is pending toxicology reports.
According to the Live Oak County complaint log, Sem’s partner, Three Rivers Police Officer William Jones, advised dispatchers at 1:41 a.m. that his K-9 officer was “non-responsive.” Guardian EMS was paged to the Three Rivers Fire Department “Code 3” to transport Sem to Williams Veterinary Clinic in Beeville. Bee County police and sheriff’s officers shut down intersections in Beeville for EMS to pass safely and quickly through town to the vet clinic. “CPR in progress,” read the report; however, Sem did not make it. Sem was a 2 ½-year-old Belgian Malinois. She was about to have her first anniversary with the Three Rivers Police Department, according to the report.
Dr. Gary Williams from Williams Vet Clinic said, “We have sent blood samples to Texas A&M and asked them to perform toxicology tests. The reports are not in, the case is still under investigation. However, my suspicion was heat stroke. We had three dogs that I suspect died of heat stroke that
week. These three deaths occurred within three days of each other; it had been extremely hot that week. The police officer [William Jones] is concerned about the possibility of someone poisoning the K-9 and we have not ruled that out.” Three Rivers police officer Jones was not available for comment.
Whether or not Sem died from heat stroke, I can tell you that heat stroke cases are only going to get worse, Williams said. Please remind the public to protect their animals. “Provide shade, get a kiddie pool or a galvanized water trough and put it in the ground halfway. Shade and lots of water are crucial for all outdoor pets,” Williams said.
In Loving Memory of
MWD K9 SANTO
June 19, 2009
Handler: Cpl. Donald R. Paldino
Marine Corps Base
Quantico
Virginia
Military Police
honor team member
Santo, a canine with
Military Police Company, Security Battalion, Quantico, received a
Navy Achievement Medal on June 18 for his extensive work both here
and as the first MWD deployed from here. Cpl. Richard Bock, dog
handler with Military Police Co., Security Bn., accepted the award
for Santo. Bock had been taking care of Santo since his former
trainer left Security Bn. following his and Santo’s second
deployment.
Santo, a military
working dog stationed here at Quantico, was awarded a Navy
Achievement Medal at a ceremony on June 18. The same traits that led
to his success as a working dog, combined with the ravages of old
age, led to the sad decision to euthanize the dog on June 19. The
129-pound German shepherd, born in Czechoslovakia, became the first
military working dog to deploy from Marine Corps Base Quantico in
2004 when he was sent to Iraq. Staff Sgt. Dana L. Brown, the kennel
master at Military Police Company, Security Battalion, chose Santo
and his handler, Cpl. Donald R. Paldino, because of how well they
worked together.
‘’[Santo] and his
handler were an incredible team. They spent four years together and
were a solid team all around,” said Brown. While at MCB Quantico,
Santo performed more than 20,000 vehicle searches, 85 health and
comfort inspections and 42 building searches. His nose also helped
Marines in Iraq when he found a large weapons cache consisting of
more than 2,000 7.62 rounds, 20 mortar rounds, 12 rocket propelled
grenade rounds and various other bomb-making materials. He earned a
reputation as the ‘’most feared dog in the kennel.”
“I trusted him just as
much as I trusted any other Marine. When things go bad people have
uncontrollable thoughts [about the situation]; a second of
hesitation,” said Paldino, now a civilian working as the director of
K9 operations for S.E.A.L. Security Solutions, a private security
firm. “Most dogs don’t have that reaction, there’s no second
thought. It’s ‘Do it because you’re told to do it, do it because you
want to do it’ and that was the bottom line.” Santo’s exceptional
sense of smell and aggressive nature gave the Marines deployed with
him the confidence to complete the mission while patrolling the
streets of Fallujah.
“I felt
more secure [with Santo] — more importantly — I think the people I
was attached to felt more secure,” said Paldino, of Oxford, Mass.
“He had an unbelievable nose; he was really good at finding
explosives. He gave everybody a sense of security, not just me.” A
hip injury slowed Santo down after his first deployment but not
enough to keep him from returning to Iraq in 2006 to help support
the troops in Ramadi. Hip dysplasia, a common cause of arthritis in
canines, and lumbosacral disease, a condition where the nerves and
spinal cord become compressed as they pass through the lower spine,
set in following Santo’s second deployment.
The ailments made it
difficult for him to move around, said Brown. These injuries kept
Santo from deploying again. Also, the same traits that earned Santo
his NAM lead to his untimely death. ‘’We’ve been taking him out and
grooming him, getting him some exercise [since his last
deployment],” said Cpl. Richard Bock, who has been in charge of
taking care of Santo since Paldino left Quantico. “He deserves this
recognition,” said Brown. “He has been an amazing dog and definitely
the most memorable in my 14 years in the military working dog
field.” There is currently an effort to have Santo’s body preserved
and added to the K9 exhibit at the Marine Corps History Museum at
MCB Quantico. submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
In Loving
Memory of
K9 SAMSON
June 2009
Handler:
Buncombe County
Sheriff Department
202 Haywood St.
Asheville, NC 28801
828.250.6670 - Patrol
(828) 250-4428
K9 dog to
be buried with honors at new Candler pet cemetery
CANDLER — Best Friends Pet
Cemetery and Crematory will be holding a grand opening ceremony,
June 19. They will host a burial ceremony for “Sam”
that day, a beloved local K9 police dog, in the ‘Service
Animals” section of the pet cemetery. There will be a formal
procession of fire fighters and law enforcement officers,
beginning from Biltmore Square Mall at 1 p.m., to the pet
cemetery on the grounds of Forest Lawn Memorial Cemetery at 1498
Sand Hill Road, Candler. After a former dedication, the Chaplain
will bless the new cemetery and then lead the prayer and
graveside service. The National Anthem will be sung and taps
will be played by the Buncombe County Honor Guard during the
presentation of the Honor Colors. The ceremony will end with a
Memorial White Dove release. Speakers include Sheriff Van
Duncan, Sheriff of Buncombe County, and Sheriff Rick Davis, of
Henderson County.
Release RSVP, or contact Patrick or Ginger Bradley @ (828)
665-4303 for more information.
submitted
by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
Samson's
service - photo by Erin Brethauer (
ebrethau@citizen-times.com )
Members of the police K9 units gathered Friday with their dogs
to honor Sampson, a local K9 police dog was laid to rest in a
new pet cemetery called Best Friends at Forest Lawn Memorial
Cemetery in Candler. 6/19/09 - Erin Brethaue
In Loving
Memory of
K9 SKOOCH
March 26, 2009
Handler/Partner:
Ofc. Dave Burkle
cruvo@phillyburbs.com <cruvo@phillyburbs.com>
Upper Moreland Police Department
117 Park Ave.
#1
Willow Grove, PA
PH: 215 659.1600
Officer
missing K9 partner
PhillyBurbs.com
Levittown - With the death of its 9-year-old police
dog Skooch, the township must determine if there are
funds for a replacement. His name was Skooch. And
while that's a shortened version of an Italian
phrase that essentially means "pain in the butt," he
was anything but, says police Officer Dave
Burkle.Sadly, Skooch, a German shepherd who was
Burkle's partner in Upper Moreland for eight years,
passed away at the end of March. He was 9 years old.
"He was an exceptionally friendly dog," said Burkle.
"He could be aggressive when the time came, but he
had an on/off switch. The next minute a kid could
pet him and he would just sit there and let him."
Skooch was put down March 26. Cancer was the cause.
He had a tumor in his nose and masses in his
stomach. Burkle had hoped initial treatments would
cure the pooch, but in the end they weren't enough.
Upper Moreland Lt. Alex Levy said the department
tries to plan ahead to replace police dogs once they
reach the 10-year-old range, but Skooch died
unexpectedly early. It's not in the department's
budget to replace Skooch this year, but police are
considering ways to generate the funds. The cost to
buy a new dog and train it could be as much as
$18,000, said Burkle. Upper Moreland police have
three other K9 units. The department has a deal with
the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in
which it pays about $800 annually per dog to have
the animals' health care covered, he said. Burkle
and Skooch started working together on Sept. 10,
2001, after Burkle bought Skooch in North Carolina.
Skooch was bred in the Czech Republic. Skooch and
Burkle developed a strong bond as they responded to
hundreds of calls over the years. "You always knew
he had your back," said Burkle. Skooch was trained
in routine patrol duties, such as tracking robbers
and burglars who ran from crime scenes. But his
specialty was sniffing out bombs and explosives.
Together, Skooch and Burkle searched businesses and
schools in Montgomery and Bucks counties to ensure
they were safe following bomb threats.Skooch once
located a man on the run who was hiding in bushes.
He also sniffed out a retail thief who fled in
Abington.Burkle explained that Skooch got his unique
name from an Italian saying he learned from his
wife's family that means pain in the butt. "All dogs
can be pains," Burkle said with a good-natured
laugh. "That's the name we gave him."Skooch lived
with Burkle, a police officer for 35 years. The
veteran cop said it's not just the patrols he
misses, but the quieter times too, like when he'd
give Skooch a bit of meat from his sandwich at
lunch. "I miss him. I'm a little lost without him,"
Burkle said. Christopher Ruvo can be reached at
215-345-3147 or cruvo@phillyburbs.com.
another
article about K9 SKOOCH
Bucks County
Courier Times
His name was
Skooch. And while that's a shortened version of an
Italian phrase that essentially means "pain in the
butt," he was anything but, says police Officer Dave
Burkle. Sadly, Skooch, a German shepherd who
was Burkle's partner in Upper Moreland for eight
years, passed away at the end of March. He was 9
years old. "He was an exceptionally friendly dog,"
said Burkle. "He could be aggressive when the time
came, but he had an on/off switch. The next minute a
kid could pet him and he would just sit there and
let him."
Skooch was put down March 26. Cancer was the cause.
He had a tumor in his nose and masses in his
stomach. Burkle had hoped initial treatments would
cure the pooch, but in the end they weren't enough.
pper Moreland Lt. Alex Levy said the department
tries to plan ahead to replace police dogs once they
reach the 10-year-old range, but Skooch died
unexpectedly early. It's not in the department's
budget to replace Skooch this year, but police are
considering ways to generate the funds. The cost to
buy a new dog and train it could be as much as
$18,000, said Burkle. Upper Moreland police have
three other K9 units. The department has a deal with
the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in
which it pays about $800 annually per dog to have
the animals' health care covered, he said.
Burkle and Skooch
started working together on Sept. 10, 2001, after
Burkle bought Skooch in North Carolina. Skooch was
bred in the Czech Republic.
Skooch and Burkle
developed a strong bond as they responded to
hundreds of calls over the years. "You always knew
he had your back," said Burkle.
Skooch was trained in
routine patrol duties, such as tracking robbers and
burglars who ran from crime scenes. But his
specialty was sniffing out bombs and explosives.
Together, Skooch and Burkle searched businesses and
schools in Montgomery and Bucks counties to ensure
they were safe following bomb threats.
Skooch once located a
man on the run who was hiding in bushes. He also
sniffed out a retail thief who fled in Abington.
Burkle
explained that Skooch got his unique name from an
Italian saying he learned from his wife's family
that means pain in the butt. "All dogs can be
pains," Burkle said with a good-natured laugh.
"That's the name we gave him. "Skooch
lived with Burkle, a police officer for 35 years.
The veteran cop said it's not just the patrols he
misses, but the quieter times too, like when he'd
give Skooch a bit of meat from his sandwich at
lunch. "I miss him. I'm a little lost without him,"
Burkle said.
April 16, 2009
02:20 AM.
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
In Loving
Memory of
K9 SAMPSON
March 18,
2009
Fayette County Sheriff’s Office
P.O. Box 509
100 Church Street
Fayetteville, WV 25840
304-574-4304 -
Fax: 304-574-2796
Bomb-sniffing police K-9 dies of cancer
- department needs $16,000 for new dog
Fayette County sheriff’s Deputy Nick Mooney said his K-9 partner
Sampson was more than a dog. The 8-year-old golden retriever found
missing people, tracked armed robbery suspects in a swamp, and
dangerous situations of any kind — even those involving a possible
bomb — did not faze him. At the same time, he was a cuddly, furry
friend for pre-schoolers and police officers alike. But Wednesday,
Mooney arrived home to find out his partner and best friend had
died.Sampson, Fayette County’s first bomb-sniffing dog and a K-9 since
2002, died at Mooney’s residence. Sgt. Mike Fridley, K-9 supervisor, said an autopsy later determined Sampson died of cancer. Because of
their extremely high drive, cancer in police K-9s is rarely
detected
until the most severe stages — if detected at all. “It was just like
he wore the uniform and drove the cruiser like we do,”
Mooney said.
“I wonder if he could have really done it. He was just that
amazing.”Mooney became Sampson’s handler about two years ago after Cpl. Steve
Gray, the previous handler, was called to active military duty.
Sampson was a dual-purpose dog trained for explosives detection and
tracking, and other jurisdictions frequently utilized him, Mooney
said. Recently, Mooney and Sampson were called to help pursue a
Greenbrier County armed robbery suspect who had fled to Meadow
Bridge.
For 3 miles and in the dark, both deputy and dog followed a
path that led them over paved roadways, through a farm property’s
fieldand into a swamp.
Water reached Mooney’s gun belt, and he had to get both himself
and Sampson out for safety reasons.
Mooney said police later caught
the suspect, who told officers, “I thought you had me when I saw
that golden retriever and the deputy in the swamp. You were so
close.” Sampson was also a hit with youngsters, Mooney said. A
3-year-old preschooler was once knocked down by Sampson’s
“notoriously” heavy tail. Sampson then ran to the boy, licking him
like he was checking to see if the child was OK. The boy, unhurt,
got up and wanted to play with the friendly dog.Often, citizens do not fully realize what K-9s do to serve them,
Mooney said. “If you need them, they’re there for you. That’s all
they want to do,” he said. “A lot of people think they’re only drug
or bite ogs. They don’t think of the teenage girl whose grandpa
with Alzheimer’s is missing. Our K-9 teams would help find him.”
Mooney said the department intends to purchase
another bomb-sniffing
dog. However, it must raise donated funds, as it did to purchase
Sampson. This time, the estimated cost is
$16,000. That includes the
dog, plus all necessary training and equipment. submitted by
Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
In Loving Memory of
K9 SWANEY
February 20, 2009
Handler: Corporal Scott Searcy
Davidson Police
Department
216 S. Main St.
P.O. Box 579
Davidson, NC 28036
Ph: 704 892-5131 Fx: 704 896-9733
WEBSITE -
http://www.ci.davidson.nc.us/index.asp?nid=126
Town's police dog Swaney
dies at age 12
The
Davidson Police Department is sad to report that
Swaney, the
department’s canine for 11 years, has died. K9 Swaney was recruited in
winter 1998 and was named in honor of Davidson Police Officer Mark
Swaney, who died in the line of duty on Dec. 25, 1997. K9 Swaney
partnered with Police Corporal Scott Searcy, who has been a Davidson
police officer since 1996. When not working, K9 Swaney lived with
Corporal Searcy. They were partners until 2007, when after almost nine
years of public service, Swaney retired from active duty. He continued
with public appearances and demonstrations, especially in Davidson
schools, where he was always loved and hugged by the children. K9 Swaney
was a “generalist” police dog, able to do narcotics detection, searches
and aggression work. K9 Swaney was recently diagnosed with an aggressive
form of cancer. “He lived his life valiantly, and exemplified the
phrase, ‘When I was called, I gave my all,’” Chief Jeanne Miller said in
a press release Saturday. “He will be missed.” Details of a public
recognition of K9 Swaney will be forthcoming. submitted by
Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
|
Memorials
to Fallen K-9s