K9 Flora – Mexico

Touching final moments as a young cop plays with his cancer-stricken pet German Shepherd, a retired K9, before she is put down

A cop just wanted to play one last time with his dying dog and reminisce about their old days together before veterinarians at a facility in Mexico laid the dog to rest. Flora was a retired K9 who had been diagnosed with a form of terminal heart cancer after years on a local police force. As the German Shepherd stood on top of table on her four paws, the young man took a padded arm sleeve protector and slid it over his left arm. He kissed his best friend’s nose and gently rubbed her face right Flora quickly bit down on the padded sleeve. The teary-eyed cop continues to pat the cancer stricken dog over and over, as he gives Flora a farewell talk. However, his touching speech is inaudible throughout the video, which is set to music playing in the background. Moments later, he rubs Flora’s back repeatedly and kisses her multiple while an attendee from the veterinary looked through a window. Another person close to the Mexican K9 later enters the room and gave Flora some affection by kissing her behind the ear and on the face. Just a couple of seconds later, a veterinarian helps starts to prep the sick dog and grabs her front left paw and slightly pushes her down towards the table as she continued to bit on the protective sleeve. A short while later, the veterinarian injects Flora’s left side as the owner starts to break down in tears as he massages her head and nose one for a final time.

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.