Memorials to Fallen K-9s 
 2011-W

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
Wuynthea's Cash vom Haus Wooters
CD, TD, TDI, CGC
July 24, 1998 - June 11, 2011 

 

Handler: Vicki Wooters,
CFP,CPDT-KA,Dip.DT,PDT,Cert.CN
Bryn Mawr, PA

The first time that I met Cash he was one week old. I met Cash again when he was 6 weeks old. I was not looking to add another (4th) dog to my family, but this little guy just would not stop following me. Part of why I did not want to be chosen by this puppy was that I had my 12 year old Shepherd, Jasper  and would not want him to feel displaced. 

Jasper was always by my side and at night had a bed right next to me. Jasper never let anyone there until Cash came. Jasper moved over, sighed a sigh of relief, and gave Cash his bed. Almost like he was passing the torch of who would look after me. Jasper and Cash shared this duty for another year and Cash has diligently watched over me from the time of Jasper's death at 13 to his own death also at 13 years of age.  

Cash was almost always with me and when he was left at home he got into trouble. He amused himself by jumping the fence and crossing four roads to visit everyone at the nearby Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation Hospital. I found out that he literally went in the doors, got his therapy dog cookies and went all through the building without me. He came home and jumped back in the yard and I did not know about this schedule of his for quite some time.  

Cash was unique; he would never eat shellfish and had a high pitched bark and he would bark like crazy whenever we got close to a favorite area of his. He loved the monthly township meetings even though he had no interest in politics. 

For most of his life, Cash was a search & rescue dog. He could be directed to platforms across a field and would remain on them until directed off. One time at a demonstration he ran into a horse field, scattering all the horses, as they ran, he starting barking up a tree, he paid no attention to the horses but knew his target was up the tree in that field. One time we had to carefully remove him from a loaded 9mm pistol used to kill the snow covered woman who shot herself.  

Cash had a special gift of caring for all living creatures. He began to assist me in missing pet searches because the dogs were just gravitating to him. He became known as a magnet dog. Even lost cats seemed to trust him. Cash also helped me rehabilitate many troubled dogs with behavior issues. His calm confidence gave courage to these dogs, several just short of euthanasia.  

Cash will be missed by me and so many others. He had many friends both two legged and four legged and I could ask Cash to babysit a puppy or a child and he always took these tasks to heart. Cash could be trusted with any creature no matter how small, he was just a gentle giant. He would come to puppy class and all the puppies would just climb all over him. 

True to his nature, even in death he was so easy. In the morning we took a walk at the park. He was with me all day. He died very suddenly in the early evening with me sitting next to him. He was never sick or in any pain. He just quietly left us.

This ends a 13 year "pissing match" between Redd and Cash who grew up together and literally went and peed on the same bushes daily trying to outdo each other even as each got so old and had to struggle to get there.  A respectful rivalry of two grumpy old men.  submitted by: Vicki

Vicki Wooters,CFP,CPDT-KA,Dip.DT,PDT,Cert.CN
610-296-1173
www.wootersdogtraining.com

Vicki will discuss your challenges, answer your questions and offer solutions
to your needs. Her priority is to respond quickly to your inquiry.
Give her a call at (610) 296-1173, OR by email at wooters2@comcast.net

In Loving Memory of
K9 WESS
January 18, 2011

Handler: Officer Scott Pearl
Portsmouth Police Department
3 Junkins Avenue
Portsmouth, NJ  03801-4554
(603) 427-1500

Police dept mourns loss of K-9 Wess
Portsmouth police K-9 Wess, shown with his handler Scott Pearl in this file photo,
was put to sleep Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2011.

After a short career of tracking crime suspects, sniffing out drugs and bridging the police department to the community, 5-year-old police K-9 Wess died Tuesday after suffering from an intestinal disorder. Wess was the sidekick and partner of Officer Scott Pearl and the pair was repeatedly honored by the Working Dog Foundation. “He’s devastated,” Chief Lou Ferland said about Pearl losing his police partner. “They ran together every morning and spent almost every waking moment together. I’ve been around a lot of police dogs and this dog would definitely not have hesitated to defend Scott if someone tried to attack him.”
Wess suffered from a sudden disorder common among large-breed dogs which caused an intestine to twist and choked the intestinal blood supply, said Ferland. He was put to sleep Wednesday “in the arms of his handler,” he said. “It’s a sudden loss,” said the chief. “And right at the prime of his life. His best years were ahead of him.” Members of the Portsmouth Police Department wore black mourning bands on their badges Wednesday in Wess’ honor." We're sad,” said Ferland. “We lost a big part of the police family.”
Like “a light switch,” Wess turned on his police role to search or attack, then as quickly could resume a role as part of Pearl’s family, said Ferland. The German shepherd would allow children to pet him and yank his tail and invited interaction from residents “who normally wouldn’t approach a police officer,” said the chief. “He was a good dog,” said Ferland, who co-founded the Working Dog Foundation and was a police dog handler with two shepherds earlier in his career.
 Wess came to the police department in 2006 from Germany and was annually recognized by the Working Dog Foundation.
Pearl has been named K-9 handler of the year and the pair was honored for patrol case of the year.
Together Pearl and Wess searched woods and swamps for wanted suspects and missing persons and more often than not, found them, said Ferland. Wess was also nationally certified for patrol work and drug recognition, he said. “The dog loved Scott’s energy,” he said. “They fed off each other.” Ferland said the department has a “call-out” for a police dog about 150 times a year. The department has a surviving K-9, Titan, who works with handler and officer Eric Kinsman. It was unknown Wednesday if the police department will conduct a memorial ceremony for Wess.
 submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA