K9 Axel – Bristol County, Massachusetts

Handler – officer Brennan Bulgar

The Bristol County Sheriff’s Office bid a sad goodbye last week to a beloved colleague: Thirteen-year-old K9 Officer Axel. The German Shepherd, who served in the department for about eight years, was given a hero’s farewell. A wake was held Monday at Chase Farm Veterinary Hospital in Dartmouth followed by a “last ride’’ Tuesday to Angel View Pet Cemetery and Crematory in Middleboro. Axel was accompanied to the facility by police vehicles from the police departments of Acushnet, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Fall River, Freetown, New Bedford, Raynham, Seekonk, Somerset, Swansea and Taunton as well as representatives from the Massachusetts Environmental Police, Massachusetts State Police, New Bedford Animal Control, and Norfolk and Plymouth county sheriff’s offices. Axel’s cremated remains were returned later in the week to his owner and partner, Sheriff’s Office K9 officer Brennan Bulgar. The tribute was well-earned, said Capt. Paul Douglas, who oversees the canine division of the sheriff’s office.  “This is what they deserve,’’ Douglas said. “Our dogs are special, they put their lives on the line. They’re officers on four legs.’’ For Bulgar, the show of support brought comfort during a painful time. “I cry in the morning, I cry in the afternoon, I cry at night,’’ he said. He described Axel as his “partner and best friend.’’ Axel began training with Bulgar when the dog was two years old. “We bonded that first day,’’ the officer said. Douglas quickly recognized the connection. They shared an “unconditional love,’’ he said. “Anything Brennan asked him to do, he did. They were a great team.’’ Axel had an ideal temperament for a police dog, Douglas said. The captain noted that Axel was professional and hard-working during work shifts, then playful and relaxed off-hours. Through the years, the bond deepened as the two worked together. Axel could sniff out narcotics and search for missing people. One of his most successful cases happened right before his retirement, during a search of a business in Bristol, R.I. Axel found a “mother lode’’ of narcotics, Douglas said, including “tons’’ of cocaine and marijuana. “It was like a pharmacy,’’ he said. But it was hardly his only success, Douglas said “he had a lot of finds.” Axel was retired by the division at about 10 years old, in July 2019, as is typical of sheriff’s office K9s, Douglas said. He went to live full-time with Bulgar and his family. But in the last few weeks, Axel was not himself. He barely picked up his head to greet the family, a time when he normally would be jumping around and enthusiastic, Bulgar said. A trip to Chase Farm Veterinary Hospital brought the news every pet owner dreads: Axel had cancer and the disease was spreading. “There was nothing else’’ to do for him, Douglas said. “He was so weak,’’ Bulgar said. “I didn’t want to see him suffer.’’ So Axel was euthanized with his beloved handler and his colleagues from the K9 division by his side for support. “Axel was loved by everyone,’’ Bulgar said. “It was very, very important to have everyone come together’’ at that painful moment. “This is the worst part of being a K9 officer,’’ Douglas said. Bulgar works with a new canine partner now, Eros, who is 2 ½. But Axel will always hold a special place in his heart, he said. “I go home expecting he will be there,’’ he said.  Bulgar is grateful that the law enforcement community has rallied around him and Axel. “He was my best friend, and was a friend to all,’’ he said.

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.