90-year-old Woman who Loves German Shepherds Donates Over $32,000 to the Sheriff’s Office for K-9 Bulletproof Vests and Training New Dogs for the Force

90-year-old Pamela Mobbs, passed away in October 2020, donating over $32,000 to the Volusia Sheriff’s K-9 officers. The sizable donation was from the generous woman’s estate and was whole-heartedly given to the K-9 police force.

Half of the money donated will be for supplying K-9 bulletproof vests for the German Shepherds working in the field, and the other for training additional dogs who will be joining the force. The Volusia Sheriff’s Office was given two separate checks from Pamela’s estate, each for $16,428.16 (which totals to $32,856.32).

To read more on this story, click here: 90-year-old Woman who Loves German Shepherds Donates Over $32,000 to the Sheriff’s Office for K-9 Bulletproof Vests and Training New Dogs for the Force

K-9 Alerts His Handler to a Roasted Pig Head Inside a Traveler's Luggage at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport

U.S. Customs and Border Patrol made a bust in Atlanta that's complete hogwash.

Last Thursday, K-9 Hardy certainly squealed with delight when he alerted his handler to the roasted pig head inside a traveler's luggage.

The passenger from Ecuador attempted to carry the two-pound piece of pork through customs at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

“Our best defense against destructive pests and animal diseases is to prevent the entry of prohibited agriculture products from entering the United States,” said Carey Davis, CBP Area Port Director for the Port of Atlanta. “This seizure at ATL illustrate the tremendous expertise of our four-legged K-9 partners in protecting the United States."

Pork products from other continents are not allowed to enter the U.S. in an effort to prevent the potential introduction of foreign animal diseases such as Foot and Mouth disease, Classical Swine Fever and Swine Vesicular disease.

This is one interception Hardy can take to the piggy bank.

Should Police Dogs Wear Bullet Proof Vests?

Over the years several police dogs have been shot and have died while pursuing a criminal.

Did you know that more than 500 Police Service Dogs (PSDs) have been killed in the line of duty? A vest increases a 98% chance of survival in an attack.

A police dog put its life in danger every day just as the police officer. The police officer wears a bullet proof vest to protect them…so should his dog also wear a bullet proof vest?

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) said that they support the use dogs in law enforcement provided that the animals are humanely raised, trained and afforded every consideration for their safety and well-being, including the use of bullet-proof vests.

There are some police departments that do provide protection to their K9 members with stab and/or slash resistant vests. These vests are used because they are lighter, and do not protect the dog if it is shot.

However, you have to wonder if the weight of a bullet proof vest would be uncomfortable for the dog and possibly flop around as the dog runs.

What do you think? Should police dogs wear bullet proof vests?

Three Dogs in Florida Were Rushed to an Emergency Veterinarian After Ingesting Fentanyl

While K-9 officers use their noses to sniff out drugs, the opioid epidemic has put our police dogs in deadly jeopardy.

Three dogs in Florida were rushed to an emergency veterinarian hospital last year when they were with their handlers during a drug raid and ingested fentanyl – an extremely potent drug used as a painkiller often mixed with heroin and twice as potent.

In response to the dangerous epidemic, law enforcement officers now carry naloxone with them just in case; as they send the police dogs into homes and cars searching for narcotics. The drug naloxone has been used for years to reverse overdoses in humans.

In January, the Massachusetts State Police started carrying naloxone for their dogs, and according to CbsNews, police in Hartford, Connecticut also includes handlers to carry the drug for their dogs – just in case.

As human officers have reported becoming very ill from a small amount of fentanyl after being in close contact with suspects – just patting them down and getting the white powder on their hands, reactions can be even more severe for K-9 personnel.

With dogs, their primary sense is smell, and they literally breathe and inhale the opioids, so to protect their four-legged partners, police officers now carry the naloxone kits which blocks the effects of opioids and reverses overdoses with few side effects.

Previously naloxone had most often been used by doctors, medics and emergency medical personnel – now police, firefighters and families with members suffering from addiction carry the kits; naloxone can be administered through injection or via a nasal spray.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, deputy administrator Jack Riley has warned police officers of the dangers of fentanyl to both humans and dogs:
“Fentanyl can kill our canine companions and partners just as easy as it can humans, so please take precautions for their safety too,” Riley warned.

In Broward County, Florida, a police K-9 officer named Primus became lethargic after a drug search. He and two other dogs were rushed to an emergency veterinarian where the dogs were all treated with naloxone – all three recovered quickly.

It is believed they may have inhaled a trace amount of fentanyl (the same drug that killed Prince) and that the drug even may have been absorbed into their bodies through their paws. Experts believe for a dog just two or three granules like sand would be enough to overdose a dog.

Officers are being much more prudent now before sending dogs into a home or building known where drugs are overtly observed. Sadly the drug epidemic has become so critical in the United States, even our dogs’ lives are at risk.

New Drug Kits Save Police Dogs from Opioid Overdoses

Boston -- Police dogs simply follow their noses to sniff out narcotics. But inhaling powerful opioids can be deadly, so officers have a new tool to protect their four-legged partners: naloxone, a drug that has already been used for years to reverse overdoses in humans.

Law enforcement officers have started carrying naloxone with them on drug raids, when K-9s are often sent into houses or cars to find narcotics. Three police dogs in Florida were rushed to an animal hospital last year when they ingested fentanyl, a powerful painkiller that is often mixed with street heroin but 50 times more potent.

Massachusetts State Police started carrying naloxone for their K-9s in March. Police in Hartford, Connecticut, started in January.

Even just a small amount of powdered fentanyl can sicken police officers who come in contact with it during an arrest. Just last month, Ohio police officer Chris Green nearly died from an accidental overdose after patting down a suspect and getting white powder, believed to be fentanyl, on his hands.

To read more on this story, click here: New Drug Kits Save Police Dogs from Opioid Overdoses

Police Departments Pull Pit Bulls from Local Shelters to Train as Official Canine Officers

Pit Bulls have such a bad reputation that some communities and cities (like Montreal) are banning their breed all together.  Protect Pit Bulls from BSL online (BSL stands for Breed Selection Legislation) is working to stop the ban and change the way people think about Pit Bulls.


Police departments like the Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia Police Department, and the Poughkeepsie Police Department in New York are helping in a big way.  Instead of spending $10,000 to $15,000 on pure breed German Shepherds or Belgian Malinois, they are going to their local shelters and finding abandoned Pit Bulls.  Without their intervention, these dogs would have been euthanized.

Police departments all over the country are now working with programs like Animal Farm Foundation, Austin Pets Alive! and Universal K9 to train Pit Bulls to be official police canines.  They are finding that rescued Pit Bulls can be obedient and hard-working police and military assets.  They can learn everything from narcotics, explosives, cadaver and arson detection and criminal apprehension.

“Any dog that has the drive, confidence, and desire to work can do it! Breed does not dictate a dog’s ability to work,” explained Universal K9 founder Brad Croft.

If this trend continues, Pit Bulls may no longer be the villains of the dog world but a great help in catching villains in the real world!

New York’s First K9 Pit Bull Is Top Dog

Brad Croft, director of operations for Universal K9, has trained hundreds of dogs for police work. But if you ask him who stands out most to him, without hesitation he replies, “Kiah is one of the top three dogs I’ve ever placed.”

Kiah is a pit bull who was rescued from a shelter after she was found as a stray in a grocery market parking lot with a serious wound on her head.

Now she’s New York state’s first K9 pit bull officer. She is part of the City of Poughkeepie Police Department’s K9 force and her partner is Officer Justin Bruzgul. Kiah is Bruzgul’s first K9 partner, and together they’re patrolling the streets of Poughkeepsie, making it a safer place to be.

K9 police dog, Kiah, with her partner Officer Justin Bruzgul of the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department, New York

Kiah’s adoption to the city was made possible by a grant from Animal Farm Foundation (AFF), associated with the Dutchess County SPCA (DCSPCA) in Hyde Park, New York.

To read more on this story, click here: New York’s First K9 Pit Bull Is Top Dog

Meet Utah’s First Electronic Detection K-9 or ‘Porn Dog’ Named URL

The Weber County Sheriff’s Office in Ogden, Utah, announced on Facebook that the department has added a cute new member to its staff, an electronic detection K-9 or “porn dog” named URL, who is the first of his kind in the state.

The 16-month old black Lab, who was rescued from an animal shelter as a puppy, is only one of nine certified electronic detection K-9s in the country, the post said, and comes from the same trainer as Bear, the K-9 who played a key role in the arrest of ex-Subway spokesman Jared Fogle last year.

“Specially trained to sniff out electronic storage devices such as thumb drives, cellphones, SIM cards, SD cards, external hard drives, tablets and iPads, URL offers a unique set of skills to aid investigators in fighting crime,” the Facebook post said. “Whether it’s child porn, terrorism intelligence, narcotics or financial crimes information, URL has the ability to find evidence hidden on basically any electronic memory device.”

URL will assist investigators on specific types of cases and will also be used at the local correctional facility to seek out contraband such as cell phones.

But how does the pup do it? “His highly sensitive nose has been trained to detect the unique chemical compounds found in the certain electronic components,” the post said.

According to the department, URL went through six months of training in Indiana before becoming certified. His handler, detective Cam Hartman, also received nine days of expert training and the pair will be re-certified each year.

Police K-9 Shot During Traffic Stop

Spotsylvania County, Virginia - An armed suspect who shot a K-9 with the Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office Sunday evening during a traffic stop is still on the loose, according to officials.

The Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office reports, around 9 p.m. the vehicle of a suspect wanted on numerous felony warrants in Fredericksburg was spotted and pulled over in the 2800 block of Lafayette Blvd . The driver of that vehicle was reportedly "taken without incident," but a passenger inside, Joseph Conway, 34, got out and began to fight with a Deputy. Conway then made an attempt to flee the scene on foot, according to the Sheriff's Office. A Spotsylvania Deputy, along with a K-9 named Dux, had just arrived on the scene and officials report Dux was released in an attempt to detain Conway.

According to the Sheriff's Office, after a short pursuit, Conway pulled out a pistol and began to shot at the Deputies and Dux who were pursuing him. Dux was reportedly struck by the gunfire at least once. Officials say the Deputies shot back at the pursuing Conway, but it's unclear at this time if he was injured. None of the Deputies were shot or injured during the pursuit, officials confirm.

ABC7's Suzanne Kennedy reports several vehicles in the area were also struck during the gunfire exchange.

Dux was taken to an emergency Veterinary hospital where he underwent surgery. By Monday afternoon, officials tweeted that Dux was "out of surgery and in recovery."

The Man Who Shot and Killed K-9 Officer Jethro, of the Canton Police Department in Ohio, Has Been Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison

Kelontre Barefield, 23, received the sentence after pleading guilty to charges related to the police dog's death and other charges in an unrelated robbery case, a spokeswoman for the Stark County Clerk of Courts told ABC News today.

Barefield's attorney, Steven Reisch, didn't immediately respond to ABC News' requests for comment.

Jethro was killed in January after suffering multiple gunshot wounds while responding to a burglary at a grocery store, according to Officer Eric Stanbro, head trainer of Canton PD's K-9 unit.

The death of the 3-year-old German shepherd devastated Canton PD Officer Ryan Davis, who had been Jethro's partner since he was an 8-week-old puppy.

In March, an 11-year-old girl donated all of her allowance money to help get bulletproof vests for all of the department's dogs.

"Officer Davis has received 2,000 letters since Jethro's death, and he was catching up with them over the weekend," Stanbro previously told ABC News. "He came across this girl's letter and donation, and it really touched him."

In the letter, an 11-year-old girl named Allison tells Davis, "I sorry about Jethro. So here is my allowance for the bulletproof vests. God bless you and the dogs."

An 11-year-old girl named Allison donated her allowance money to the Canton Police Department to help get bulletproof vests for dogs in the department's K-9 unit.

On Wednesday, the Canton PD's K-9 Unit shared a video of some its dogs and handlers on Facebook "[i]n honor of Jethro's killer being sentenced to 45 years in prison."

To video video, click HERE.

Sunday, March 13 is National K9 Veterans Day

Sunday, March 13 marks the 74th anniversary of establishing the K9 Corps in the US Army or the National K9 Veterans day.

In 1942 the American Kennel Club helped create “Dogs for Defense,” a civilian group that trained dogs as sentries to help patrol US coastline. The US Army approved the experimental program and created the K9 Corps.

The K9 Corps initially trained 32 different breeds, by 1944 the number dropped to seven.

Military dogs are usually non-commissioned officers one rank higher than their handlers. According to CNN, some say this is meant to prevent handlers from mistreating their K9 partners.

The Army used about 1500 dogs during the Korean War and about 4000 in Vietnam.

Prince George's County Police Department is Mourning the Loss of Our K9, Who Passed Away on Wednesday

Our department is mourning the loss of one of our K9s. Arko passed away on Wednesday. He was the devoted partner of Sergeant Alix Braunstein of our Special Operations Division.

Arko was a patrol and drug detection K9. He served the community from 2007 until his retirement in January of this year. Sergeant Braunstein called Arko a loyal and kindhearted dog, adding "Our first night out together we found 76 grams of marijuana in a backpack in the trunk of a car.

He was all about work and loved doing it." Arko was 10 years old. He will be greatly missed by the K9 Section and all who knew and loved him.

Madisonville, Tennessee - The Monroe County Sheriff's Department is Mourning the Loss of a K-9 Officer Who Drowned Trying to Capture a Suspect

The Monroe County Sheriff's Department is mourning the loss of a K-9 officer who drowned Wednesday while trying to capture a suspect who is still on the run.

According to the sheriff's department, Deputy B.J. Johnson and his partner, K9 Vigor, were tracking a wanted man through the Cherokee National Forest in Tellico Plains.

The deputies had to cross a river in their pursuit, and the strong current over powered both Deputy Johnson and Vigor.

"Deputy Johnson attempted to save his partners life several times but the current was too strong. Deputy Vigor was located down stream and deputies immediately began CPR and unfortunately they were unable to revive Deputy Vigor," according to a post on the department's Facebook page. "Deputy Vigor was a wonderful dog and will truly be missed."

The suspect, Doug Ellis, is still on the run. He is wanted for a violation of probation on charges of kidnapping, aggravated assault, and evading arrest.

The sheriff's department has asked residents of Tellico Plains and Coker Creek to keep an eye out for Ellis, and warns that he may be armed and should not be approached.

If you have any information, you are asked to call the Monroe County Dispatch Center at 423-442-4357.

Tellico Plains and Coker Creek residents please be on the lookout for Doug Ellis. If you see Mr. Ellis please call the Monroe County Dispatch Center 423-442-4357 do not approach we have received information that he is possibly armed. Mr. Ellis is wanted for Violation of Probation. He is currently on probation for kidnapping, agg assault and evading arrest.

Website: Monroe County Sheriff's Office

Every Single K9 in the Norfolk, Virginia’s PD Will Be Getting a Lifesaving Ballistic Vest: Thanks to a Donation from Anderson Cooper

On Monday January 11, 2016 the Norfolk, Virginia police department lost one of its bravest members, a K9 named Krijger. The pup was a four-year-old Belgian Malinois. The brave canine officer died during a shootout after officers responded to a domestic violence call.

According to Pilot Online, those close to the pup say that he would have survived had he been wearing a ballistic vest.

These vests are expensive, each one costing roughly $2,200, and most police departments cannot afford them. But, thanks to one very kind, and very famous, good Samaritan, every single dog in the Norfolk PD is about to get one.

Who’s the good Samaritan in question? Anderson Cooper.

The CNN news anchor donated the funds via the Virginia based charity Spike’s K9 Fund. Cooper had previously interviewed the charity’s founder, retired SEAL Jimmy Hatch, in 2015 and the two have stayed in contact.

Hatch announced the donation on Spike’s K9 Fund’s website:

We are humbled to announce that Anderson Cooper has donated his speaking fee for his upcoming “Norfolk Forum” speech (26 January) to Spike’s K9 Fund for the K9 Krijger Ballistic Vest Campaign. His donation was quite generous. All of the Norfolk K9’s will be outfitted and we will start outfitting K9’s from other cities in Hampton Roads with the remainder.

Dogs love us unconditionally and, every day, many of them selflessly risk their lives to protect us. Anderson Cooper did a beautiful thing by donating this money and making sure that they are protected when they put their lives on the line.

You can watch a local news report about Krijger below:

If you would like to help other canine officers obtain a lifesaving ballistic vest, you can donate funds in Krijger’s memory via Spike’sK9 Fund.

Meet Kiah, the Rescued Pit Bull That Defies The Harmful Stereotype About Her Breed, As She Works to Help Police Find and Protect People

At only 60 pounds, Kiah is not like most other K9 police dogs. She’s also different because she’s a Pit Bull, which are often stereotyped as aggressive monsters used for fighting. Kiah is proving that Pit Bulls can defy these harmful stereotypes and work to help police find and protect people. She’ll be using her excellent nose to track missing persons and detect drugs for the Poughkeepsie Police Department north of New York City.

Kiah comes to the force courtesy of the Animal Farm Foundation, which is a non-profit rescue group trying to put an end to misinformation about Pit Bulls. They partnered with Universal K9, a group that looks through animal shelters for dogs that might make good additions to police forces. They provided Kiah to the Poughkeepsie Police Department at no cost, which is good considering a traditional police dog can cost up to $15,000.

Kiah seems very happy to please her trainers and will act as an ambassador for her breed. She has a home now. Pit Bulls usually have trouble getting adopted because of the stereotypes surrounding them. A shelter dog with a poor chance of being adopted found a place where she belongs, a police department got a free K9 dog to help them, and the people of Poughkeepsie are safer with Kiah on the job. Everybody wins.

Hyattsville City Police Department's K9, Rudy, Has Received a Bullet and Stab Protective Vest Thanks to a Charitable Donation

Hyattsville City Police Department’s K9 Dog, Rudy, has received a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. The vest was sponsored by an anonymous sponsor and is embroidered with the sentiment “In memory of Mindy”.

  

Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. is a 501c(3) charity located in East Taunton, MA whose mission is to provide bullet and stab protective vests and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United States. The non-profit was established in 2009 to assist law enforcement agencies with this potentially lifesaving body armor for their four-legged K9 officers. Since its inception, Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. provided over 1,600 protective vests, in 49 states, through private and corporate donations, at a cost of over 1.5 million dollars. All vests are custom made in the USA by Armor Express in Central Lake, MI.

The program is open to dogs actively employed in the U.S. with law enforcement or related agencies who are certified and at least 20 months of age. New K9 graduates, as well as K9s with expired vests, are eligible to participate.

The suggested donation to provide one protective vest for a law enforcement K9 is $1,050. Each vest has a value between $1,795 – $2,234, and a five-year warranty and an average weight of 4-5 lbs. There are an estimated 30,000 law enforcement K9s throughout the United States. For more information or to learn about volunteer opportunities, please call 508-824-6978. Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. provides information, lists events, and accepts tax-deductible donations of any denomination at www.vik9s.org or mailed to P.O. Box 9 East Taunton, MA 02718.

This Picture Has Gained a Lot of Attention on Social Media this Week: Military K9 Wearing a Purple Heart Lying on His Side Recovering Under a Patriotic Blanket

Fort Hood, Texas - A picture shared on Facebook by the 89th Military Police Brigade, which is based out of Fort Hood, Texas, has gained a lot of attention on social media this week.

The image shows a military K9, wearing a Purple Heart, lying on his side recovering under a patriotic blanket. According to the post, military working dog “Rocky” and his handler were injured this week during operations in Afghanistan.

“Rocky and his handler are staying in the same room right now as they are receiving treatment for their injuries,” the Facebook post said. “Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers as they recover during the holiday season.

The image, posted on Wednesday, has been shared more than 55,000 times and has more than 45,000 likes.

Facebook user Breanna Katsonis commented on the photo stating Rocky’s handler is her brother-in-law.

“He and his wife have 2 young children and this is a difficult time for them all,” Katsonis said. “I know they are so grateful for all of the prayers so please keep them coming!”

Friday, the Facebook page Malinois Nation shared another photo of Rocky and his handler. It said they are headed back to the United States for the remainder of their treatment and rehab.

The 89th Military Police Brigade is a combat ready, deployable Military police force assigned to the United States Army Third Armored Corps “Phantom Warriors.”

Please join us in thanking Rocky and his handler for their service. Here's to wishing both a speedy recovery!

Unfortunately, Police Dog Work Can Sometimes Be Deadly: The Surprising Reason More Police Dogs Are Dying in the Line of Duty

By all accounts, Wednesday's encounter between French police and a group of suspected terrorists in the Paris suburbs was an incredibly violent one: 5,000 bullets fired, dozens of grenades thrown, bodies so damaged that at first authorities were unable to say how many people had been killed.

So it's somewhat remarkable that there was only one fatality on the police side of the showdown: Diesel, a 7-year-old Belgian Malinois police dog who was sent into the apartment at one point to check for survivors. The dog was killed when one of the people in the apartment detonated a suicide vest.

Diesel's death sparked a popular hashtag and an outpouring of respect and grief on social media. And it highlighted the role specially trained dogs play in often dangerous law enforcement situations in France, as well as right here in the United States.

It's unclear exactly how many police dogs are active in the United States. Jim Watson, director of the North American Police Work Dog Association, gave a "wild guess" of around 50,000 dogs in 2010. The dogs are deployed to various domestic law enforcement agencies, doing everything from bomb- and drug-sniffing to chasing down suspected criminals.

And, unfortunately, police dog work can sometimes be deadly. The Officer Down Memorial Page, which tracks police fatalities in the line of duty, includes numbers on police dog fatalities as well. Their numbers show that in 2015 so far, 26 police dogs have been killed in the line of duty — a number that's up sharply over the previous two years.

In the most recent incident they've tracked, a dog named Hyco with the Anderson County Sheriff's Office in South Carolina was shot and killed while chasing a group of suspected carjackers. In September, a police dog named Ike in Washington state was stabbed multiple times while attempting to subdue a suspect and had to be euthanized due to the extent of his injuries.

But while a number of dogs have died at the hands of a suspected criminal this year, the ODMP's numbers show that canine officers face an even bigger threat: heat exhaustion, particularly from being left in a squad car on a hot day.

This year alone at least 11 dogs died from heat exhaustion, according to the ODMP. In August, two dogs with the Baltimore City Detention Center died when the air conditioning failed in a vehicle they were in. In Florida, an officer was suspended without pay in May when he inadvertently left two police dogs in a car at his home.

The heat deaths "happen at a pretty alarming rate," said Steve Weiss, an NYPD lieutenant who serves as ODMP's Director of Research. "I was surprised by how often it happens."

Weiss says that many K9 unit vehicles are now being outfitted with electronic systems that automatically regulate heat and humidity. Some systems can alert remote officers if the AC fails or the temperature gets too high, and allow them to immediately pop the trunk or doors to allow dogs to escape. More widespread adoption of these systems would cut down on the heat exhaustion deaths, according to Weiss.

Weiss says better laws protecting police dogs would help too. "The laws in many states involving the deaths of police animals are not very strict," he said. "Every state is different."