Memorials to Fallen K-9s 
 2006 page 01
 The F.A.S.T. Co. donates sets of memorial cards to all partners 
 I need your help to inform me of such losses.

Dept. addresses available for those who want to send condolences to officers. See below
 
 
In Loving Memory of
K-9 TAYLOR
January 7, 2006

Partner: WPD Narcotics Detective Chris Sallee
 Wickenburg Police Department
155 N. Tegner St. #C.
Wickenburg, AZ 85390
928-684-5411
It was with sadness last week that the Wickenburg Police Department (WPD) said goodbye to Taylor the drug dog, a trusted and loved member of the force.
Taylor died of cancer on Saturday (Jan. 7) at the Wickenburg Veterinary Clinic. He was 10-years-old.
Taylor was a member of the WPD for the past eight years and was going to officially retire in early 2006. He was a nationally recognized certified narcotic canine and had an impact on the police department as well as many in the community.
His handler, WPD Narcotics Detective Chris Sallee was with Taylor when he died. Sallee expressed sadness for the loss of his closest companion.
“It has been an honor and a pleasure to work with such an intelligent, loyal and amazing dog who is not only my partner but my best friend,” Sallee wrote in a memo to WPD Chief Tony Melendez. “Taylor has warmed my heart and he gave more than 100 percent every day to me and to this department.”
Sallee said that Taylor located several million dollars worth of illegal drugs as well as several hundred thousand dollars in U.S. currency while on the job.
“It will be a lot quieter in my patrol car now without Taylor, but his spirit will always be with me,” Sallee said. “I know that Taylor not only enjoyed coming to work, but he loved his job. He loved going to all the schools. I will never forget him or the memories we have shared in the past eight years.”
The police department is planning a memorial dedication for Taylor in the near future.

submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
In Loving Memory of
K-9 KAZAN
January 11, 2006

Partner:
Montgomery County Sheriff
Alabama
Information regarding dog food,
not stating that this was what killed Kazan.
Update: Diamond Pet Food Recalled Due to Aflatoxin
By fc  Jan 9, 2006, 14:09

Diamond Pet Food on Dec. 20 issued a recall for the products manufactured at its Gaston, South Carolina facility where a product has been found contaminated with aflatoxin.  Aflatoxin is a group of toxic metabolites of the fungus Aspergillus flavus, commonly found in or on corn, peanuts, nuts and other crops. The company recommended distributors hold the sale of all Diamond Pet Food products formulated with corn that were produced in the Gaston facility.  Products removed from sale included Diamond Low Fat Dog Food, Diamond Hi-Energy Dog Food, Diamond Maintenance Dog Food, Diamond Performance Dog Food, Diamond Premium Adult Dog Food, Diamond Puppy Food, Diamond Maintenance Cat Food, Diamond Professional Cat Food, Country Value Puppy, Country Value Adult Dog, Country Value High Energy Dog, Country Value Adult Cat Food, Professional Chicken & Rice Senior Dog Food, Professional Reduced Fat Chicken & Rice Dog Food, Professional Adult Dog Food, Professional Large-Breed Puppy Food, Professional Puppy Food, Professional Reduced Fat Cat Food, Professional Adult Cat Food.  Diamond Pet Food said products manufactured at facilities in Meta, Missouri and Lathrop, California were not affected.  The Gaston facility date codes are unique from other Diamond facility codes in that either the eleventh or twelfth character in the date code will be a capital "G" (in reference to Gaston). The range of date codes being reviewed are "Best By 01-March-07" through Best By " 11-June-07". Diamond's quantitative analysis records substantiate that Diamond's corn shipments were definitively clear of aflatoxin after December 10. As such, "Best By 11-June-07" date codes or later are not affected, according to the company.  States affected by the products include Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky (eastern), Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, Vermont, and Virginia.  Symptoms of aflatoxin induced illness include sluggishness or lethargy combined with a reluctance to eat, jaundice (yellowish tint to the eyes and/or gums), and severe, persistent vomiting combined with bloody diarrhea and fever. When a pet shows any of such symptoms, it should be taken to a veterinarian immediately for diagnosis and treatment, the company suggested. Later on Dec 30, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a consumer alert on the contaminated pet food after learning that 23 dogs died and another 18 dogs became ill. As of Jan. 6, more than 100 dogs have died from the illness caused by the contaminated pet food, according to Cornell News Service.  According to the FDA, the contaminated pet food was exported to 28 countries including countries in Europe, which have been notified of the safety issue.  The FDA has established action levels for aflatoxin present in food or feed to protect human and animal health. According to the Food Safety Research Information Office, an agency of the Department of Agriculture, Aflatoxin levels must not exceed:  
- 20 ppb - For corn and other grains intended for immature animals (including immature poultry) and for dairy animals, or when its destination is not known;
- 20 ppb - For animal feeds, other than corn or cottonseed meal;
- 100 ppb - For corn and other grains intended for breeding beef cattle, breeding swine, or mature poultry;
- 200 ppb - For corn and other grains intended for finishing swine of 100 pounds or greater;
- 300 ppb - For corn and other grains intended for finishing (i.e., feedlot) beef cattle and for cottonseed meal intended for beef cattle, swine or poultry.

Facts about aflatoxins

* Aflatoxins are naturally occurring toxins that are metabolic byproducts of fungi, Aspergillus flavus, and Aspergillus parasiticus, which grow on many food crops under favorable conditions.
* Aflatoxin is an mycotoxin literally means poison from a fungi and are named on the basis of the fungus that produces them, thus “Aflatoxin” uses the “A” for Aspergillus and “fla” for the species “flavus” along with the word toxin.
* Adverse impact on animal and human health with acute toxicological effects such as liver damage and cancer can occur.
* The major types of aflatoxins are B1, B2, G1, G2, and M1, with aflatoxin B1 being the most toxic, and usually predominant. Aflatoxin B1 is a very potent carcinogen to humans and animals.
* Aflatoxins can invade the food supply at anytime during production, processing, transport or storage.
* Conditions that contribute to fungal growth and the production of aflatoxins are: a hot and humid climate, kernel moisture, favorable substrate characteristics, and factors that decrease the host plant’s immunity (insect damage, poor fertilization, and drought).
* Food and food crops most prone to contamination are corn and corn products, cottonseed, peanuts and peanut products, tree nuts (pistachio nuts, pecans, walnuts, Brazil nuts) and milk.
Aflatoxicosis and health effects
Aflatoxicosis is a condition that results from ingestion of aflatoxin-contaminated food or feed. It is primarily a hepatic disease affecting animals and humans.In animals the condition occurs worldwide. The condition can be found on animals worldwide. The health impact is usually only seen in third world countries, and there have not been any cases of aflatoxicosis reported in the United States.

Tainted Food May Have Killed Police Dog
 1/13/06  KY
It has already killed more than 100 dogs across the country, and now it appears that a batch of contaminated dog food has claimed the life of a Montgomery County police dog.
Montgomery County Sheriff Fred Shortridge says his office's K-9, Kazan, died Wednesday. And while he waits for test results, Shortridge says he thinks the dog may be the latest victim of food made by Diamond Pet Foods that was contaminated with a corn fungus. "That's all we fed our dog," said Shortridge. "I'm not saying that this is what caused Kazan's death. I don't know. But it's odd that we got a healthy dog, and all of a sudden, in a two or three week timeframe, that he's dead." Kazan's body has been sent to the University of Kentucky for an necropsy.  Shortridge says the crime-fighting pooch will be missed. "He is a police officer, and you get attached to him," he said.
Shortridge says he bought the Belgian Malinois a little more than a year ago with the help of donations from the community. The sheriff's office even received a grant recently to buy Kazan a bullet-proof vest.  Shortridge says Kazan served as a tracking and narcotics dog for his department, but also helped other neighboring counties and towns.

submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
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