 Memorials
to Fallen K-9s 2004 page 16 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
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In Loving Memory of
Partner: Sgt. Joe Faria
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Sgt. Joe Faria of the Anaheim Police Dept. (former handler with the Monterey Park PD) just lost his retired K9 "Nero" who passed way in his sleep, Nero was also 14 years old. submitted by: Lt. Mike Higashi ( k9lt@mpdk9.org http://www.mpdk9.org) |
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In Loving
Memory of
K-9 BECK May 5, 2004  Officer James Tankersley 700 W.
Markham St.
Little Rock,
AR 72201
501 918.3900 The Canine Unit is made up of officers who utilize highly trained police dogs. These teams are assigned throughout the Patrol Division to be utilized to assist patrol officers in searches of buildings, searches for suspects, and the detection of drugs. |
I lost my
partner of four years, "Beck" on May 5, 2004. Beck was a six year
old dual-trained patrol/narcotics German Shepherd. He had been
battling what the Vet originally thought was Rocky Mountain Spotted
Fever. He was diagnosed with RMSF during the first week of
February. when my wife went outside to feed him and noticed he would
not eat. This was very uncharacteristic of him as he usually ate
so fast I used to worry that he would choke. For the next few
months, his condition would vary from normal to very sore and
almost lame. He continued to work on his good days and even
tracked and located a felon who had fled from officers
through yards, woods and a drainage ditch the night before he took
his final trip to the Vet. When I took him in his temp was
back up and his joints appeared to be very sore. After IV fluids,
and X-Rays, the Vet thought he had identified Blastomycosis as a
possible cause of Beck's illness. Soon after the Vet called to
tell me of the new possible diagnosis, he called again and told me that
Beck had stopped breathing and they were unable to revive him.
After numerous tests and a necropsy it is still unknown what caused
Beck's lengthy illness. I take comfort in the fact that he
basically went out working by finding the felon, but I hate that I
was not there to say good-bye as he passed away. I am
now in the process of locating a new (notice I don't say
replacement-Beck will never be replaced) dog.
UPDATE
I am looking forward to
getting another partner, he should be in town in the next few
days. Of course that means six to eight weeks of training during
the summer. The new dogs are coming from the Czech Republic so
they wont used to the heat and humidity here so we will have to take it
easy on them for a while. I'll try to keep you up-to-date on
things here and hopefully I won't have any additions to your website
anytime soon.
I now have a three year old silver sable colored German Shepherd named "Xantho." Tank
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| In Loving Memory of K-9 KIM AKA Kim von der Brandenburg May 5, 1992 - January 10, 2004    Partner: Officer Mike McLaughlin Foster City Police Department Chief of Police Randy Sonnenberg 1030 E Hillsdale Blvd. Foster City, California 94404 (650)286-3300 Police Service Dog, City of Foster City January, 1995 – July, 2001 |
Our
Last Goodbye From our first look in the kennel You began to fill a void I didn’t even know existed There was no doubt, you were special Through rain, snow, and blistering heat You taught trust and commitment With you at my side, I could face the fear For in the darkness, evil we would meet Laying in wait, totally alert Outside Starbucks, that twinkle in your eye Another unsuspecting victim Wearing a five dollar coffee on their shirt Training is over, our work together is done Felons caught and the lost found Only those like us know how tight we are bound These tasks are left now for the young With a stern and learned bark The new dog to teach and warn While you stay home now He and I leave to face the dark The autumn of your life, a new phase The grey in your muzzle tells of the years Protecting those asleep in our city A new job now, there are children to raise Holding you that last time, that last sigh A look, a final kiss of my hand to let me know You trusted me to close the circle and find the strength To remember your courage, your honor, your unconditional love And not the tears of our last Goodbye Dedicated to the memory of: Kim von der Brandenburg |
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| In Loving Memory of K-9 HOSS AKA: Ajax V. Haus Golez June 3, 2004  Partner: Officer Mike McLaughlin Foster City Police Department Chief of Police Randy Sonnenberg 1030 E Hillsdale Blvd. Foster City, California 94404 (650)286-3300  Thank you for the photos Jon........ Jon Mays Editor in Chief - San Mateo Daily Journal 217 S. B Street, Ste. 2 - San Mateo, CA 94401 (650) 344-5200 fax: (650) 344-5298
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Whether it was reading with
school children, fighting with a “bad guy” on the side of a freeway, or
burying a comrade who fell in the line of duty, Hoss lived to do his
job. For almost three years, he protected the citizens of not
only
Foster City, but answered calls from Atherton to Daly City. Hoss lived
to do his job. Whether it was helping to keep over 600 “rowdy”
fraternity members
from getting out of hand, or convincing the wanted parolee to give up
without a fight, Hoss lived to do his job. For almost three years, his presence prevented injury to Police Officers and suspects. Hoss lived to do his job. That job ended on June 3, 2004, less than 24 hours after his last arrest, when Hoss suffered an injury that cut off the blood flow to his spinal column. The cause of the injury is unknown, because he never complained, Hoss lived to do his job. Holding you that last time, that last sigh A look, a final kiss of my hand to let me know You trusted me to close the circle and find the strength To remember your courage, your honor, your unconditional love And not the tears of our last Goodbye Police put down one of its own By Dana Yates, Daily Journal Staff 217 South B Street #2 San Mateo, CA 94401 Phone: (650) 344-5200 - Fax: (650) 344-5290 When a Foster City police officer was thrown into traffic on Highway 101 last year by a drugged up parolee, it wasn’t the department veteran on the call who saved him — it was canine recruit Hoss who latched on and stopped the suspect. Less than three years after joining the force, Hoss was put to sleep last week after a mysterious injury left him paralyzed. Now, the department is left with a gaping hole and endless praise for the loyal pawed officer. “What he lived for is to go to work, the commute time, training time and duty time. The dog trusted me to guide him and I literally trusted my life to that dog. It’s a bond that is almost impossible to describe,” said his trainer, Officer Mike McLaughlin. After returning home from the graveyard shift on June 3, McLaughlin and Hoss both went to sleep in the early morning hours. Later, McLaughlin was awakened by his 9-year-old daughter saying “Hoss can’t walk, Hoss can’t walk.”McLaughlin said he was out of bed and at his dog’s side “within 30 seconds, maybe less.” The day took a drastic turn that left McLaughlin with one of the hardest decisions of his career — to end Hoss’ pain by putting him to sleep. Both an emergency veterinarian and one of the state’s top orthopedic veterinarians told McLaughlin there was at least one ruptured disc in his spine, preventing blood flow to his hind legs.“No one knows what caused it, no one will ever know,” said McLaughlin. “The dog never gave us any indication that he was injured.” That’s the kind of dog Hoss was, he lived for his job and did it well, McLaughlin said.McLaughlin is most proud of the way Hoss handled a 2001 case in San Mateo. A man ran from San Mateo police onto State Route 92 and hopped the fence into the Marriott Hotel, which was under construction at the time. Hoss was called in and found the man hiding in a room. He surrendered and no one was injured. Hoss was able to do in 10 minutes what would have taken two officers 30 minutes to do, McLaughlin said. Hoss, a German Shepherd, was born Ajax V. Haus Golez in the United States. He was trained in Germany and completed police dog training here where he learned to search, track and protect his trainer. He joined the Police Department on July 4, 2001 with McLaughlin as his trainer. McLaughlin is no stranger to heart-wrenching good-byes with canine co-workers. With the department since 1988, McLaughlin has had three dogs and trained many others. His first dog was on duty six weeks before he blew out his back leg by jumping off a balcony. His next dog developed an inoperable cyst six months into the job. His last dog lasted more than six years and formed a strong bond with McLaughlin. Given the chance, McLaughlin will take another dog. However, the chances are slim. Without Hoss, the city is left without any dogs. The city’s other dog left last week when its owner took a job elsewhere. Each dog costs more than $8,000 and given the financial crunch the city is facing, it’s unclear if the department will see a new dog any time soon.
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