City's first police dog loses battle with cancer
Dakota, the Oak Forest Police Department's first canine officer, recently died of cancer. Whether it was following the scent of a human, illicit drugs or protecting his handler, canine officer Dakota was very good at his job and enjoyed his work. Dakota, the Oak Forest Police Department's first canine officer, died late last month after a bout with cancer. He was just shy of his 11th birthday. He had been with the department since 1998, and spent all of his time, on and off duty, with officer Scott Durano. Dakota worked until he was retired in 2006. He had begun to slow down, but his retirement was more due to Durano's dwindling time in the field.  Dakota took ill in late September last year and was diagnosed with a particularly aggressive form of cancer, Durano said. Initial chemotherapy treatments seemed to help. But just as he was getting better, Dakota fell ill again. Veterinarians at the University of Illinois in Champaign found tumors throughout his abdomen and his prognosis was not good. After bringing Dakota home for a few last days with the family, Durano thought it best to euthanize his canine companion. Besides being a valued professional partner to Durano for more than nine years, Dakota became every bit as much a companion. "I spent more time with him than I did with my family. I worked with him for eight hours a day, and was off with him for eight hours a day. When I went to bed, he was right by my side. He was like an extension of my left arm. This was one of the hardest things I've had to do," Durano said of deciding his dog should suffer no longer. Dakota was born in Germany and received his initial training there. He was then brought to the United States where he received additional training at the Landheim Training Center in Dyer, Ind. Besides his typical police work, Dakota often displayed his abilities at local fairs, block parties and DARE functions. He would work with other agencies to help in their investigations, and was even deployed with Durano from a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter. Durano called his time with Dakota one of the greatest career opportunities he could have hoped for. Even when Durano was feeling down, his friend was there to pick him up. "Working with him was such a great joy. When you're feeling bad, he was always there to give you a lick on the face and push you to get going. He was my partner but he was also my best friend." A memorial tribute to Dakota's life and career is being organized by the department.  submitted by Jim Cortina

Police Dog Killed, Officer Injured In Collision With Cadillac
A police car was struck by another vehicle early Saturday, and the collision injured both drivers and killed a police dog riding in the cruiser, the Waterbury Police Department said. The accident happened around 3 a.m. at the intersection of Highland Avenue and Highland Drive. Police said Officer Matthew Smith and his K9 partner, Domino, were rammed by a Cadillac driven by 19-year-old Micah Bonacassio. The Cadillac had one passenger, Jason Giordano of Watertown, police said. All three men were in stable condition Saturday. Domino died in the collision. Meantime, Bonacassio's family has hired a lawyer and said they plan to sue the Waterbury Police Department. Bonacassio and Giordano said Officer Smith ran a stop sign before colliding with the Cadillac. The crash remains under investigation. 
submitted by Jim Cortina
***********
 another report similar........ Friday, November 16, 2007
Over 250 Attend Funarel/Memorial for Officer "Domino" K9 dog  see BLOG
 The Waterbury Police Department said Saturday it is investigating a crash that left a K-9 officer dead and sent three people to the hospital. They said the crash happened at about 3 a.m. at the intersection of Highland Avenue and Highland Drive. Officer Matthew Smith, a five-year veteran of the Waterbury Police Department, was traveling east across Highland Avenue from Highland Drive to Vail Street when his police cruiser was struck by a 1994 Cadillac Seville traveling north on Highland Avenue. Micah Bonacassio, 19, of Thomaston, was driving the Cadillac with Jason Giordano, 22, of Watertown, when he hit Smith's cruiser. The impact killed a K-9 officer, Domino, and left Smith and Giordano in stable condition at Waterbury Hospital and Bonacassio in stable condition at St. Mary's Hospital. No charges have been filed and the accident remains under investigation. submitted by Jim Cortina

Brush Prairie, WA, man arrested after police dog shot dead
Dakota was known for his crime-fighting feats.  The tracking dog Dakota was shot and killed Tuesday as teams of SWAT officers closed in on an armed convicted murderer -- who allegedly had told an acquaintance he wanted to “kill a cop.” Dakota, a 5-year-old German shepherd owned by the Vancouver Police Department, was killed about 2 1/2 hours after police were called to the Lewis & Clark Railway Co. tracks just east of Northeast Caples Road in Brush Prairie. No one else was reported injured during the manhunt, which ended with the alleged gunman’s arrest. Police fired no shots. About 1:50 p.m. Tuesday, an acquaintance of suspect Ronald James Chenette called 911 to say Chenette was carrying a loaded .357 Magnum handgun and had threatened to harm police. Chenette, 38, who lives in the area, was reported to be headed to the Brush Prairie Market on Caples, said Sgt. Tim Bieber with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office. As officers and heavily armed SWAT team members rushed to the scene, Chenette was spotted along the tracks a quarter mile east of Caples. He then ran into a wooded area to the north, and officers took positions around the area, Bieber said. Laura Hall, who works for Curves for Women, a fitness shop near the tracks, said she’d been outside when she heard what was happening. “The sheriff’s deputy told me ‘Get back in the building, there’s a man running around with a gun,’” Hall said. Officers sealed off the wooded area behind the Country Manor mobile hork and Bethel Cemetery, and called in at least one fixed-wing aircraft. The airplane is equipped with forward-looking infrared that can sense body heat, Bieber said. About 5 p.m. Tuesday, teams of officers who were combing the wooded area radioed they were closing in on Chenette. One officer said, “We’re going to try and pinch this guy into as small of an area as possible.” Officers radioed they’d heard a single shot near them about 5:15 p.m., and that Dakota hadn’t returned when they called him. Minutes later, officers yelled that they were struggling with Chenette and had used a Taser electronic weapon, and that he’d been taken into custody.  Officers then said they were looking for the handgun Chenette had been carrying, and for Dakota. About 5:42 p.m., an officer, believed to be Dakota’s handler, Vancouver police Officer Roger Evans radioed that the dog had been found dead. “Don’t bring the litter, I’ll carry him out,” the officer said. Chenette was taken by ambulance to Southwest Washington Medical Center, where he was treated for dog bites, Bieber said Tuesday night. After that, Bieber said, Chenette was to be taken to the Clark County Jail on suspicion of several crimes. Chenette has a string of convictions, for second-degree murder, second-degree assault, burglary and other crimes, Bieber said. In 1991, Chenette was convicted of a murder that had occurred in Clark County in 1987, according to public records and Columbian files. In that case, Chenette and a friend had gone to Portland and bought $20 worth of marijuana from Portland resident James Turner, 20. After deciding that Turner had cheated them, Chenette and the other man, Todd Edward Hiivala, drove him to a remote area outside Battle Ground and told him to walk home. A fight then erupted and Chenette and Hiivala stabbed Turner to death. Hiivala was sentenced to 69 years in prison. Chenette pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, a reduced charge filed because he testified against Hiivala. Chenette then was sentenced to 14 years in prison. Dakota, who worked with Evans about three years, was mentioned in The Columbian several times this year: in September, catching two men who fled from police, causing an officer to roll his patrol car; in June finding a burglar in the attic of Mill Plain United Methodist Church; in March, finding an alleged burglar who threw a gun out of a car and fled on foot. Dakota’s death saddened many officers, Bieber said. “We’re obviously upset over the loss of Dakota, but we’re grateful that none of our officers were shot and killed.” Chenette, who has long dark hair and often wore a black leather vest and black pants, was often seen walking along the tracks to his home near the mobile home park, said Lyle Kargel, operating manager of Air-America Inc. in Brush Prairie. Some folks called Chenette “Black Bart.” Several Brush Prairie residents said Chenette seemed to have mental problems. 
UPDATES
Dakota hailed as fantastic police dog - Vancouver police Officer Roger Evans demonstrates the lifting method used with his partner, Dakota, in June. Dakota was shot and killed during a manhunt Tuesday.Clark County Deputy Rick Osborne and Kane perform a tracking sweep near Northeast 88th Street and St. Johns Road during a weekly training exercise for city and county K-9 teams Wednesday. The day before, Vancouver police dog Dakota was shot and killed while tracking an armed suspect.Clark County sheriff's Deputy Ed Bylsma knew that Dakota would make a fantastic police dog when he picked him out at the kennel. Sure enough, the German shepherd aced master trainer Bylsma's 10-week training class and served the Vancouver Police Department with distinction. "Dakota was an exceptional dog," Bylsma said. "He loved what he did, and he was very good at what he did." Dakota died Tuesday, shot in the head as he tracked an armed suspect who allegedly threatened to "kill a cop." Those who knew Dakota described the situation as bittersweet. Although saddened by the dog's death, they pointed out that Dakota had done exactly what he was trained to do, possibly saving lives in the process. "That dog took a bullet for everyone out there, including the suspect," said sheriff's Sgt. Tim Bieber, who had served with Dakota and his handler, Vancouver police Officer Roger Evans, on the regional SWAT team. If not for the dog, an officer could have shot - or been shot by - the armed suspect. "We are in a profession where these things unfortunately happen and we know the dogs are a tool we can use," Bieber said. "We know we'd rather this happen to one of the dogs than a deputy." Born in Slovakia in July 2002, Dakota took his 400-hour basic training with Evans in 2005. Dakota and Evans joined the SWAT team in July 2006. Vancouver's four-dog class of 2005 had restarted a police dog program inactive since 2004, when the department's only police dog died. The outpouring of community support that followed K-9 Captain's death helped Vancouver buy and train the four dogs. The police department then reached out to local elementary schools, letting students name two of the dogs. A fifth-grade class at Marshall Elementary School chose the name Dakota. "It was so much fun for the kids to come up with the name," said David Gifaldi, the class's teacher at the time. "When 'Dakota' was chosen, the kids were obviously delighted." Officers took Dakota to visit the fifth-graders, answering questions and demonstrating commands. "They were amazed that the dog would do what Dakota did," Gifaldi said: "Be on the front line and take a bullet to protect its master."
When Gifaldi learned of Dakota's death, sadness and joy hit him at the same time. "Hearing that, the faces of the kids flashed before my eyes," he said. "I thought how wonderful a day that was." Despite Dakota's talent as law enforcement ambassador, plenty of people would have preferred never to have met him. That's because the dog tracked down suspects in more than 100 cases and sniffed out drugs 150 times, according to Vancouver police data. The police department has set up a fund to replace Dakota, said spokeswoman Kim Kapp. It's too soon to say whether Evans would partner with a new dog, she said. "He's at home with his family," Kapp said. "It's definitely had a huge impact with him and his family." Dakota lived with Evans, his wife and three other dogs - a pit bull, a malinois that retired from the Secret Service and a papillon. Before a dog begins training, it spends a week or two just bonding with its new partner, said master trainer Bylsma. Once on the job, dog and handler can spend 14 or 15 hours per day together. "We get a really tight bond formed," said, Bylsma, handler of Hans, a malinois. "We have to treat them like working dogs, but we love them just like a family member. "When you lose one, it's really hard." The Vancouver Police Department has established a memorial fund to buy another tracking dog. Donations of cash or checks payable to "Dakota Memorial Fund" can be dropped off at the Bank of Clark County branch at 1400 Washington St. in Vancouver or mailed to Bank of Clark County, attention Dakota Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 61725, Vancouver, WA 98666-1725. Donation envelopes can be obtained at any Vancouver Police precinct between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The police department cannot accept donations directly.

Latest follow up:
When Vancouver police Officer Roger Evans and his dog Dakota were hot on a suspect’s trail, Evans sometimes wondered if Dakota’s sensitive nose had missed something. What if Dakota had zigged when the bad guy had zagged? And Dakota would sense his concern, Evans told a crowd of several hundred people Monday evening, during a remembrance for the slain German shepherd at Fort Vancouver High School. When Dakota felt Evans’ concern, he’d start sniffing even closer to the ground, and would pull harder on his leash. It was as if to say, “Trust me, Dad, he’s not far away,” Evans told the audience. In fact Dakota turned out to be right in such cases about 100 times during his career, which lasted barely over a year. The dog was shot and killed Oct. 23 in Brush Prairie, as he and Evans were pursuing an armed and intoxicated convicted murderer who allegedly had said he wanted “to kill a cop.” Dakota had been let off-leash as officers closed in on the suspect in a wooded area. An official said Monday that Dakota is believed to have grabbed the man, and to have been shot once in the head and killed instantly, while “still on the bite.” Moments later, Clark County Sheriff’s Deputy Alan Earhart and his dog, Akbar, reached the suspect, who still had a .357 Magnum handgun in his pocket. Officers then took the man, Ronald J. Chenette, into custody. Many officers believe that by “taking a bullet,” Dakota saved people’s lives that day. Vancouver Police Department Chief Clifford Cook told the crowd Monday that many more K-9 officers and their dogs than expected, from the United States and Canada, had traveled to Vancouver for the remembrance. The visiting and local officers, in their rugged green or black K-9 handler uniforms, filed quietly down the aisle of the auditorium to reserved seats. No official count was available, but it looked like 75 or more. Vancouver police Sgt. Joe Graaff, a supervisor of the K-9 program, had to pause and fight back tears as he described Dakota’s and Evans’ service together. Graaff laid out the many hours of training required to be a tracking dog team, and more training to sniff out illegal drugs. And it took still more training to be part of the Southwest Washington Regional SWAT Team, which is sent to the most dangerous calls. But for all that, officers said, Dakota loved what he did for Evans. “A dog is one of the few creatures on Earth who love you more than you love yourself,” Cook said. And Evans, his voice breaking, told the handlers that, regardless how much they love their police dogs, the animals’ job is to save human lives. “When the situation is appropriate, don’t hesitate to send your dog,” Evans said. Officers gave several examples of Dakota’s courage and devotion to his job:
Keeping his jaws clamped on a suspect as they fell through a ceiling, a drop of about 10 feet. Finding a suspect in an area that officers had already combed. Being sent into an upstairs apartment to locate a suicidal man with a shotgun, a perilous job that ended well. With a career like that, it was only natural that Evans accepted many honors on behalf of himself and his partner. Besides an outpouring of community donations, the off-leash area of Pacific Community Park will be named in Dakota’s honor, said a representative of Dog Owners Group for Park Access in Washington, called DOGPAW. Dakota also is getting a medal of valor, and his name will be inscribed on a K-9 memorial at the Law Enforcement Academy in Burien, said an official with the Washington State Police Canine Association. There’s a purple heart from the Vancouver Police Department. A painting of Dakota was presented to Evans at the remembrance, and another woman plans to paint a second. Near the end of the remembrance, as audience members wiped away tears, Evans gave Dakota a final tribute: “Thank you for being a warrior and dying as a hero,” Evans said. “Dakota, you were a good boy.” And according to tradition, a 911 dispatcher’s voice gave Evans’ police call sign, two-Henry-seven, and said, “Dakota is now 10-7,” meaning “out of service.”  submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA & Marti Tennant

UPDATE  -  Nov. 2008
Man accused of killing Vancouver K9
VANCOUVER, Wash. -- A man accused of killing a police dog would be sentenced to life in prison as a "three strikes" offender if he is convicted in Vancouver.  The 39-year-old Brush Prairie man, Ronald J. Chenette, was arrested in October 2007 by SWAT officers. A Vancouver police dog, 5-year-old German shepherd named Dakota, was shot in the head during the standoff.  The Vancouver Columbian says that at the trial beginning Wednesday the defense lawyer is expected to argue the shooting was self defense.  The paper says Chenette has two prior strikes for a 1991 murder conviction and a 2001 assault conviction.
Update: Nov. 28, 2008

Sculpture of fallen police tracking dog to be dedicated
11/27/08 - Washington - Dakota Killed in line of duty in October 2007
A dedication ceremony for a sculpture of a Vancouver Police Department tracking dog killed last year will be 2:30 p.m. Wednesday. The ceremony will take place at the police department’s east precinct, 520 S.E. 155th Ave., the location of the sculpture. The sculpture will honor Dakota, a German shepherd shot once in the head by a fleeing suspect on Oct. 23, 2007. The suspect, Ronald J. Chenette, had hidden in a forested area and Dakota was instructed to find and apprehend him. Chenette was convicted of killing Dakota earlier this month and will be sentenced in December.
 submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
update:
Man Gets Life For Killing Police Dog
5/15/09 - Oregon - Ronald Chenette

A man who was found guilty of shooting and killing a police dog in 2007 was sentenced Friday to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Police said that in October 2007 Ronald Chenette was armed with a handgun and hiding in heavy brush while SWAT teams and K-9 units searched for him. Officers said Chenette killed a police dog named Dakota with a single shot to the head before being taken down by a second dog. During the court case, Chenette told the judge he wished he'd killed the second dog. Police were searching for Chenette because he had been seen walking in the area with a gun, and when officers tried to approach him he pointed the gun at them and ran off. The conviction for killing Dakota was Chenette's third strike under Washington's Three Strikes Law. Police said Chenette had an extensive criminal history and was previously convicted of second-degree murder in 1991.
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA

Handler: Cpl. John Lockhart

Police canine dies in the line of duty
 A police dog died in the line of duty early Wednesday morning while pursuing three burglary suspects. Kansas City Police Department spokesman Darin Snapp said the incident happened around 1:45 a.m. It began when Officer Ronald Jenkins and his dog, Dio, responded to a burglary in progress at 2311 Jefferson St. A caller reported that three men had entered a vacant building and were stripping copper from the interior.  Snapp said as officers began to search the building, Dio picked up a scent and began following it to the upper floors of the building, running ahead of his handler, Jenkins. Three homeless men sleeping in the building told officers the suspects had run by them and gone out onto the roof. Jenkins and another officer located two suspects in the center of the roof and the third at the roof's edge. Then, another officer located Dio dead in the parking lot. It appeared the dog fell from the three-story roof. Officers are unable to determine how Dio fell. They said he could have not gauged the roof properly and simply overran it or been shoved off by the suspects. The three suspects were taken into custody at the scene. Snapp said Dio was 4 years old and had been assigned to Jenkins for a year and a half. He was a Belgian Malinois trained in patrol and narcotics. This is the first time a KCPD canine has died in the line of duty since Star, a German Shepherd,  was shot and killed in 1991.submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA  & Renee' Konias

In Loving Memory of
K9 DUSTY
February 1995 ~ March 2007
   
   
Handler: Capt. Randy E. Gross
Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District
2101 Hurley Way - Sacramento, CA 95825
 Contact Name: Deputy Chief Geoff Miller
Contact Phone: (916) 566-4000  -  Contact Fax: (916) 566-4200
Contact E-mail: miller.geoff@smfd.ca.gov  -  Fire Department Website: http://www.smfd.ca.gov

As all of you know by now we in the Metro family, NDSDF, OES, FEMA, and CA-TF7 have suffered a huge loss. On March 12th at about 7:30 in the evening Dusty, one of our veteran search canines, was struck by a vehicle in front of Station 62.  Dusty was on duty with her handler and partner, Captain Randy Gross, at the time.  Dusty sustained severe trauma to her lungs and was rushed to the Sacramento Veterinary Surgery Center where she suffered a heart attack secondary to the accident and passed away March 13, 2007 at about 1645 hours. Ironically, Randy had just announced Dusty's retirement at a National Disaster Search Dog event in Seaside, Monterey County, on March 10, 2007.  After more than 10 years of intense training and dedicated service, Dusty was going to take it easy and become a family dog.
********
What a lot of you don't know is the rest of the story................
Dusty and Randy deployed to the World Trade Center with California Task Force 7 on September 11, 2001.  It was there that she became one of the most photographed dogs in the nation.  Dusty has been honored by the Federal Emergency Management agency (FEMA) and was featured on their website. Her TV credits include an appearance on Animal Planet. She also closed the New York Stock Exchange on September 19, 2001, the only canine to be asked to perform such an honorable task. Not to mention many political leaders have given Dusty a well-deserved pat on the head including President Bush (twice).  Dusty, born in 1995, was one of the very first dogs trained by the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation, established by Wilma Melville, for the Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Program.  In 1997 Dusty, along with Ana and Harley, were the first three dogs recruited for training and use in the US&R arena.  All of these dogs were assigned to firefighter handlers from California Task Force 7 in Sacramento.  Ana and Captain Rick Lee of Sacramento Fire, as well as Harley and Assistant Chief Rob Cima of El Dorado County Fire, experienced the same level of success as Randy and Dusty.  The combination of firefighter handlers and highly trained dogs like Dusty was new to the disaster search world.  The Foundation Program and the dedication of all of the canine search teams have contributed to a remarkably successful program that has changed the way we in USAR conduct operations. Dusty and Randy learned their trade from a legendary team in the dog world, Pluis and Kate Davern. Under the watchful direction of Pluis, Dusty honed her skills in new areas the would eventually produce one of the finest search dogs in the Nation, while Randy learned the subtle art of ducking and dodging from the correcting hand of Pluis. Randy learned obedience and how to respond to Dusty's "directional control" and "bark alert".  When Dusty found a victim she would let Randy know by strong repeated bark.  For those of you that understand canine training, the USAR dogs that come out of the Foundation all have very strong "toy drive".  Like a lot of firefighters I know; Dusty would work her tail off for a little recognition and her toy.  Dusty's formative years were reported to be entertaining for the Foundation, Sundowners Kennels, and Randy.  Golden Rescue in Salinas, CA donated Dusty to the Foundation and they sent her to the Sundowners Kennels.  The one two punch of Sundowners and the Foundation provide a nice mix of boot camp, charm school, and finishing school all rolled into one.  Dusty was a little larger than some search dogs - those of us that were friends like to say she was big boned.  She had high energy and drive; both great qualities for a rescue dog; but challenging for a handler.  Stories abound of being out of control, not responding to commands, and refusing to stay on a leash. But eventually they were able to get Randy trained. Dusty had similar problems too!  The handlers tell me that one of the secrets to the success of the Foundation is the marriage - the special relationship between the handler and dog.  I don't know if Wilma, Pluis, or match.com arranges the match; but you can't argue with success.  Randy and Dusty were paired up in 1997 and went on to set the standard in this new experimental program; clearing the path for future Fire Fighter teams to follow.  I always called her his girlfriend, sorry Donna.  The depth of their relationship cannot be understated. Two such examples - during a fairly recent training I watched as Dusty and Randy worked a pile.  The seemingly effortless manner in which handler and canine searched and communicated was truly inspiring.  The familiarity between the two could only come from years of constant work, training and understanding. During the search, Dusty would react to the subtle changes in Randy's body language that years of experience had taught how to respond without any verbal direction. Randy would watch and know what the slightest lift of her head, twitch of her tail, or position of her body meant.  It was these slight, intuitive signs between dog and handler that controlled the search. When Dusty found a victim and was waiting for her reward (remember the toy) her whole body would shake, her tail would wag, her jaw would quiver (sounds like Randy at a CE)...At her age (no I won't tell) she could still give the young pups a run for their money.  I don't know who was happier Randy or Dusty. Another such example was in the early stages of 9/11 - The Blue Rescue Team of TF7 was working the night shift and searching in the lowest levels of the WTC complex some 6 stories below ground.  We were searching the subway terminal and as Dusty approached one of the train cars she stepped off of the platform and onto what appeared to be a solid surface of a slightly darker color.  The area she stepped into was actually the subway track some 5-6 feet deep filled with sludge - a mixture of water runoff from the ongoing firefight and all of the oil, gasoline, and other products that a 6 story underground parking garage produce.  She had a difficult time getting out of the water filled track area due to the darkness and all of the colors blending together in the glow of cyalume sticks and flashlights.  When she finally made her way out of the goo my first thought was "when did Randy get a black lab" or "my black really does make you look thinner".  Dusty was covered in sludge and the only thing you could see of her, given the dark eerie lighting, was her tongue and her eyes.  Dusty did not seem the least bit concerned, she was pulling on her leash, and wanted to continue the search.  She knew the job wasn't done.  She had unbelievable drive that one. The team was now 6 stories below grade and the decon area was at ground level several blocks away.  Our adventure into the subway took several hours and Randy and I were concerned that whatever she was contaminated with could cause some serious issues.  We made our way out to TF7 forward Base of Operations (BoO) in about an hour.  The most direct route out took us thru some areas that were still smoldering, very hot, and covered with soot.  Dusty was trying to rub against anything and everyone that she could in order to get the stuff off of her.  The FEMA system provides a VMAT (Veterinary Medical Assistance Team) on such incidents and they were waiting for Dusty when she got there.  They tried several different brands of soap - liquid, solid, and other dog shampoos but nothing would cut the oil.  Nothing worked at the VMAT BoO so one of Metro's very own, Ray Winsor recommended that Dusty try some of the citrus-based liquid hand degreaser in the cache at our BoO.  Dusty received a military escort several blocks back to our BoO at Church and Dey Streets.  Dusty soon had a glowing grey coat and the drive to search.  Being the dedicated team that Randy and Dusty were they finished their shift at about 0800 hours that morning.  Later that same morning a rep from the VMAT team recommended Randy to try some "Dawn" liquid detergent.  While this isn't a product endorsement, it worked.  They use Dawn to decon animals contaminated in crude oil spills.  The girl had a way of making a big splash. The life of a canine search team is incredibly sexy (read with sarcasm here).  The first two to three years are filled with at least 20-30 hours of training every week, hundreds of miles of travel in order to find "the right pile", and thousands of dollars of expenses in food, vet care, canine accoutrements, and the like: And all of this before you have even been certified.  (Remember, us firefighters are all about the reward - that period when preparation meets opportunity at a disaster).  After you're certified, 5-10 hours of training every week with all of the same travel and care expenses. A big tip of the hat to Randy, Dusty, and Wilma Melville the founder of the National Disaster search dog foundation, as well as Debra Tosch the current executive Director, and every canine search team out there.  Dusty as the first, you have set the bar high - THANKS!  Dusty's drive to search, commitment and trust in Randy, led to a unique team.  She would search anything, anywhere, anytime without hesitation under extreme conditions As a Search Team Manager, as a friend, I will miss her.
Captain Dave Stoddard
February 1995 ~ March 2007
Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District
Special Operations
Back to Rainbow Bridge 
submitted by Renee' Kanias
*******
Visitor comments
"God Bless K9 Dusty who made this world a better place. Our prayers go out to all those that knew and worked with Dusty and the Gross family that lost a member.  Russ Hess, Director USPCA"  ->By Russ Hess on March 22, 2007 - 03:03
"All of us CERTs who worked with Dusty and Capt Dusty's Dad out at the cache will miss her delightful dogonality, her joy of life, and her incredible work ethic. She was a terrific dog and we all thought the world of her. Play and run free forever, sweet girl."
->By a Metro Fire CERT on March 22, 2007 - 02:03 "What a fine lady she was! God bless her and may she rest in peace after such a fine and noble contribution to all of us. Her legacy will benefit all K-9 programs nation-wide.

Handler: Richard Hope
Whitehall Township Police Department
Chief of Police  Theodore D Kohuth  (610)437-3042
3731 Lehigh St. 
Whitehall,PA  18052

GRIEVE NOT FOR ME GRIEVE NOT FOR ME FOR IT HAS BEEN ORDAINED, THAT MY JOURNEY HERE BE SHORT. GRIEVE NOT FOR ME FOR MY LOYAL PRESENCE WILL EVER REMAIN IN YOUR HEART. I WAS SENT TO BE A GUARDIAN FOR THE GUARDIANS OF LAW IN BLUE A FEARLESS, NOBLE PROTECTOR WITH A BOND THAT FEW CAN CONSTRUE. WITH CHARACTER UNSHAKABLE, AND SENSES THAT ARE WELL HEIGHTENED, I WAS SENT TO BE A DEFENDER, SO THAT YOUR BURDEN HERE WOULD BE LIGHTENED, GRIEVE NOT FOR ME FOR IN HEAVENLY BLUE OUR REUNION DAY WILL COME. GRIEVE NOT FOR ME FOR AS PARTNERS AGAIN, WE WILL DEFEND A GREATER KINGDOM. ~author unknown

Canine Dakota of the City of Harrisburg Police, Pennsylvania passed away on April 14,2007. He became suddenly ill and medical treatment determined a cancerous tumor ruptured in his spleen causing his abdomen to fill with blood. Dakota died during emergency surgery at the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary Hospital. Dakota was eight years old and had been partnered with Cpl. Mike Lamonto since June of 2001. Dakota served as a patrol and explosives detection canine. He was an exceptional partner and loved family member. Dakota will be dearly missed but fondly remembered. K-9 Dakota followed K-9 Wodan when he retired. submitted by Curt Heckler

In Loving Memory of
K9 DIESEL
March 28, 2007

Handler: Chief Deputy Dennis Robinson
Lake County Sheriff Department
1153 Michigan Ave.
Baldwin, MI 49304
Farewell to a best friend: Ceremony honors memory of Lake County sheriff’s K-9 officer, Diesel 
 The Lake County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday laid to rest a well-liked officer who died in the line of duty during a tragic training accident. Deputies and police officers with black-banded badges came from as far away as Detroit to honor Diesel,Lake County’s K-9 officer who died March 28. Other K-9 officers from around the state stood at attention for an officer’s funeral for their fellow four-legged deputy, a funeral complete with a 21-gun salute from the Lake County Honor Guard. Diesel died when he choked on a ball that was given to him as a reward for performing a training maneuver. Deputies attempted CPR, but were unable to revive him. The sheriff’s office was able to purchase Diesel in 2005 after the community helped raise money. “You have all kinds of thoughts going through your mind when it happens, and all I can do now is remember the good times we had and move on,” said Chief Deputy Dennis Robinson, Diesel’s handler. “You can’t bring him back. He was one of a kind. He was special. “Guys go through a lot of dogs and every once in a while you get one that was special, and he was truly special. He loved to work and he’d work 24/7 if you let him.” Robinson was presented with an encased U.S. flag in honor of Diesel by the Lake County VFW post during the ceremony. Diesel had served as a building-sweeping dog in Iraq before coming to Lake County. Lake County Sheriff Bob Hilts said having a canine officer, which police write as “K-9,” on his department is needed given the nature of law enforcement in the small, rural community. “Dogs are essential to help find people to protect the officers,” Hilts said. “They’re invaluable to us up here. We have 10 people on the road; Diesel made 11.” Robinson said Diesel had a special personality and a desire to learn.“He was exceptional. He picked up on everything we taught him, and he loved to work so much that he’d do anything to please,” Robinson said. “To find a dog like that is like one in a thousand. And he was social, too. I couldn’t go anywhere in town, you know, the hardware or gas station store — without somebody coming up saying, ‘Open the door. I want to see Diesel.’ “People want to get him out and play with him. And he could do that. He could be nice and social and play with kids and the next minute go bite somebody.” The support he’s received since the accident and the loss of his partner has been overwhelming, Robinson said. “Our community is just awesome. You couldn’t ask for more support from my sheriff and my community,” Robinson said. “It’s a small town, but I tell you, when you need something, there are people always there for you.” Hilts, who had tears in his eyes as he memorialized Diesel at the funeral service, fondly remembered how seeing the dog brightened his day at work. “I will never forget him,” Hilts said. “While his time with us was short, he will always be remembered. “He had such a personality.” Quoting Will Rogers, Hilts said, “If there are no dogs in heaven, when I die, I want to go where they are.” About 100 community members and law enforcement officers filed into the Baldwin elementary school gym to pay their respects to Diesel. Dave Hojnacki and his daughter, Natalie, traveled from Luther for the service. Hojnacki, a former police officer from downstate, said a K-9 saved his life when he and his fellow police officers were surrounded by a mob of hundreds of people near Monroe. Neither he or his daughter had ever met Diesel, but he said he wanted to show his appreciation for Diesel — and by extension, the K-9 who helped him years ago. “That dog saved my life,” said a visibly emotional Hojnacki. “I’ll never forget that. I don’t know what would have happened if it hadn’t have been for that dog. “I’ll never forget the site of that boy.” Hojnacki told Robinson that a dog was “the best partner you could ever have.” Deputy Mark Ketz from the Benzie County Sheriff’s Office traveled with his partner, K-9 officer Ena, for Diesel’s officer funeral. Ketz and Ena had trained with Robinson and Diesel in the past. “I’ve been to two police officer funerals, but never one for a dog,” said Ketz. Ketz was joined by dog handlers from the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians Department of Public Safety; Kalamazoo, Lapeer, Wyoming and Sterling Heights police departments; and the Mason and Montcalm County sheriff’s offices. Other officers were from the Department of Natural Resources and the Detroit Police Department. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office has started looking for another K-9 officer and is currently testing a dog, according to Robinson. “We picked up one a week ago that we’re doing some testing on now. He looks like he’s going to work out, but we’ll know in another week,” he said. Chief Dennis is training another K9.
submitted by Jim Cortina