K9 Honey – Kerala, India

Died – 2/26/22

Kerala Police bid adieu to Honey

The Kerala Police on Saturday bid adieu to Honey, one of the smartest dogs in the police dog squad that served the force for 10 years. The dog, a Labrador, was leading a retired life at Vishranti, the retirement home for police dogs at the Kerala Police Academy. IGP (Training) K. Sethuraman paid last tributes to Honey when the band played bugle. Other officers too paid floral tributes. A special tomb and memorial were arranged for Honey, one of the senior-most dogs of the Dog Training Centre at the academy, near Vishranti. The entire family of Honey, who became part of the Kerala Police dog squad in 2012, is in the police. Seven of her puppies – Frida, Laika, Delma, Betty, Marko, Hector, and Don – are part of the police dog squad. If Honey was an expert in explosives detection, her ‘children’ have proved their ability in narcotic detection in various districts. Honey’s sister July too is in the police, in the K-9 squad in Palakkad.
The Kerala Police have utilized the expertise of Honey in places with Moaist threat. The dog squad members are the best friends of the police force in disaster management, terrorist strikes. and other incidents of violence. Honey was used for safety checks in public functions. She was the chief dog of the bomb squad during visits of VIPs, including President, Prime Minster, and Governor.

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.