Memorials to Fallen K-9s 
 2005 page 14
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 HANK
May 3, 2005

Handler: Lt. Wayne Shaw
Montgomery County Fire Dept.
Montgomery County Fire & Explosive Section
8663 Grovemont Circle
Gaithersburg, MD  20877
240.777.2259

Arson Fighting K-9 Dies
Accelerant Detection Dog “Hank” Succumbs to Sudden Illness

It is with deep regret that Montgomery County Fire Chief Tom Carr announces the death of “Hank”, our K-9 accelerant detection dog. She passed away two weeks ago on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 after a sudden illness. Hank should be remembered for all of her hard work and dedication to the field of arson detection and fire prevention. She was a favorite of many school-aged children and the public in which she had contact. She has been recognized over the years for her outstanding work with her handler and companion, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Lieutenant Wayne Shaw. As a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) trained dog she also traveled far and wide on a variety of cases.

Fire Investigator Lieutenant Wayne Shaw and K-9 partner Hank were an exceptional tool used against arson in Montgomery County. Hank began as a 21 month-old yellow lab who was certified in mid-June 2001. She was trained at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) canine training facility in Front Royal, Virginia. Her first “call-out”, in the summer of 2001 was a fatal fire in Gaithersburg, Maryland and shortly thereafter a multi-alarm apartment fire on Peakwood Drive, in Manasas, Prince William County, Virginia.

Hank was donated by the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Long Island, New York and was trained by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF). She was dismissed by the Foundation as a guide dog due to her being too easily distracted. Hank successfully completed six weeks of “imprintation” training, as well as five weeks of “handler and dog” training. Canines have proven to be an invaluable tool in assisting arson investigators determining if flammable liquids were used to start a fire. Hank was trained to find ignitable liquids such as gasoline, kerosene, lighter fluid, etc.

Lieutenant Wayne Shaw is thirty-five year veteran of the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service. He has been assigned to Fire Investigations for the seventeen years and has been a member of the Bomb Squad for nearly eight years. Lieutenant Shaw and previous partner “Tipper” were Montgomery County’s first canine accelerant detection team. After more than six years on the job and over 300 cases later “Tipper” retired in 2001 and was succeeded by “Hank”.

A Fire Department Memorial Service is planned for Thursday, June 2, 2005 at 10 a.m. The service will be held at Public Safety Training Academy, in Rockville, Maryland.

continued ------------->



Hank’s Story

Hank was born on November 27th, 1999 and brought up by a Puppy raiser for the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind. On January 10th, 2001, Hank experienced a career change before being selected as a Guide Dog and was instead chosen by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to become an Accelerant Detection Canine.

On May 13th, 2001 Hank, ATF ID # 302, and Wayne Shaw, a Lieutenant with the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service were partnered up to become an Accelerant Detection Canine Team. On June 11th, 2001, Lieutenant Wayne Shaw and K9 Hank became a certified Accelerant Detection Canine Team and a member of ATF’s National Response Team.
Hank has worked over 200 fire scenes during her career. She worked fires throughout the mid-Atlantic region, including Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, District of Columbia as well as Puerto Rico. As an ATF team, one of the most memorable fires Hank and Lieutenant Shaw worked was a $3 million loss shopping center fire on December 4th, 2002 in a small town called Coamo on the island of Puerto Rico. She also worked the single largest dollar loss fire in Montgomery County history to date, the $10 million loss Trolley Museum fire, in Layhill.

On February 24th, 2003, at 615 8th Street, Washington, DC, Hank and Lieutenant Shaw were requested to assist DCFD with an incendiary fatal fire. In this case Hank played a part in helping to identify the suspect which resulted in putting the fire setter in jail. For her part in this case Hank received the following awards: United States Police Canine Association Region 3 as First Quarter 2003 Detector Dog, United States Police Canine Association National Detector Dog Case for the First Quarter, United States Police Canine Association National Top Detector Dog case for 2003.
Hank attended many area Fire Department Open Houses, both in and out of Montgomery County and made the rounds to several Elementary Schools on a regular basis. This arson-fighting team also assisted with several High School Career Days and was even featured on a Montgomery County Cable TV Channel program about Working Dogs.

Hank and Lieutenant Wayne Shaw made numerous trips to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Academy, located in Brunswick, Georgia in which they assisted with training the new ATF agents in the field of Accelerant Detection Canine and Fire Investigation.

Hank enjoyed a wonderful home life with Gus, a 13 year old Yellow Lab and Tipper, a 12 year old Black Lab, who was Montgomery County’s First Accelerant Detection Canine. Hank always enjoyed a good night sleep; her favorite spot was in bed, between Wayne and his wife, Debbie.
On May 2nd, 2005, while working, Hank was rushed to her Vet by Lieutenant Shaw for a high fever and then transferred to the VCA Veterinary Referral Hospital, where she was placed in ICU and diagnosed with canine leukemia. On May 3rd, 2005 at 1000 hours, K9 Hank passed away knowing her partner was by her side.

Firefighters say farewell to dog who was 'all heart'
by C. Benjamin Ford - Staff Writer  - 6/8/05
Burly Montgomery County fire investigators sobbed last week at a funeral for one of their own.  Hank may have been 5 years old and a golden Labrador, but she worked more than 200 fire investigations.

"These tears aren't tears of sorrow," said her handler, Lt. Wayne Shaw of the Montgomery County fire department. "They're tears of joy for having known Hank."  Hank joined the fire department in May 2001 as a specially trained "accelerate detection" dog.  Hank had seemed in good health when she suddenly developed a high fever on May 2 while working.  Shaw rushed her to the veterinarian, where she was diagnosed with canine leukemia. She died May 3.  Hank was probably ill for some time but hid the symptoms behind her happy demeanor, Shaw said. "Hank was all heart," he said. Montgomery County Fire Chief Thomas W. Carr Jr. and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents praised Hank's service. After the eulogies, a procession of about 20 police and fire department dogs with their handlers paraded past a photo of Hank. The handlers stopped and saluted. Hank and Shaw traveled to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Academy in Brunswick, Ga., to help train new ATF agents in how to use the dogs in fire investigation. Hank also traveled throughout the region and to Puerto Rico to help investigate fires.  Fire Investigator Brian Anderson choked up as he described seeing Hank walk through the office. "She was a true ray of sunshine for us," he said. "She will be missed very much. And I know she's in heaven right now."

submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA

Late entry

In Loving Memory of
K-9 NERI
  2003







Partner: Officer Kevin Canady
Kinston Police Dept.
P.O. Box 339/301 E. King St.
Kinston, NC  28502
252 939.3139

(waiting for email reply from PD)
K9 partner injured on duty  - June 07,2005
Karen McConkey  Staff Writer

Law enforcement officers will vow that covering your partner's back is an unspoken code of the police brotherhood. Kinston K9 Officer Kevin Canady and his partner, Ringo, learned firsthand how strong the brotherhood bond is. Ringo fought off an attacking pit bull while Canady was searching for a shooting suspect's weapon in the 300 block of North Adkin Street. "He was trying to protect me, the other officer and himself," Canady said while scratching the ears of his four-legged partner. Canady and Ringo were scouring a block of Adkin Street, looking for a weapon police believed was involved in an 11:35 p.m. shooting of 20-year-old Aaron Eugene Landers of 816 E. Gordon St.
After questioning residents about loose or possibly dangerous dogs, Canady took Ringo to the backyard of a house where the shooting suspect, 19-year-old James Lee Ivan Walls, had been arrested about 2 a.m. in connection with shooting Landers.
While in the backyard, a pit bull next door lunged at Canady and Ringo, broke down the fence and attacked the K9. The pit bull was chained in its owner's backyard, but the chain was long enough to allow the pit bull to go through the fence, Canady said. "I tried to separate the two dogs," Canady said. "When I couldn't pull them apart, I shot the pit bull."
Ringo's injury was minor. Dr. Ray Randall is treating him for the bite wound and making sure the energetic dog has no other injuries.
On Monday, it was back to the beat as usual, as far as Ringo was concerned. "He's wide open," Canady said.

Ringo is a 3 ½-year-old Belgian Malinois. He arrived in Kinston in June 2003. He replaced K9 Officer Neri who died three months earlier during surgery for a chest infection.

Kinston Public Safety Chief Greg Smith commended Ringo for his bravery. "He stood his own against a 100-pound pit bull," Smith said. "We're proud of him."
 submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
In Loving Memory of
K-9 BAK
Search & Rescue
  Dec. 28, 2001 ~ June 8, 2005

Partner: Sue Keenan
Dover Brick First Aid Squad
P.O. Box 172
Normandy Beach, NJ  08729
732-793.1334
 Previously:  I brought BAK home from North Carolina (GSD imported from Czech Republic), we have been training many hours sot get certified in tracking and wilderness air scent. I am also training a Belgian Malinois, RENO who is 10 months old for cadaver work.

June 9, 2005 -
                                  Sue Keenan

Bak was born in Czech Republic on 12/28/01.  He was a 75 lb. German Shepherd.  Bak started SAR training in May 2003. He was trained to be certified in Trailing and Wilderness Air Scent.  His drive combined with strength and agility provided the tools needed  to be an oustanding Service Dog. His favorite toy reward wa a ball on a rope. 
Susan is also a police officers with the Elizabeth Police Department  in Elizabeth, NJ.



In Loving Memory of
K-9  OAKLEY
May, 2005


Partner:  Trooper.....
Virginia State Police
Independent Hill, VA
 State police dog left in car, dies
David Stegon Potomac News Friday, June 10, 2005

The Virginia State Police are investigating the death of a police dog, which died two weeks ago after being left in a trooper's car, the head of the Virginia State Police's Independent Hill office said Thursday.
The dog, Oakley, was left inside a trooper's patrol car when the trooper went inside his house. When the trooper returned several hours later, he found the dog dead, said 1st Sgt. Roger Clifton.
"It wasn't even a very hot day," Clifton said. "We are looking to see if there was something wrong with our equipment or with our cars that can be fixed to avoid this in the future."
Clifton said that he did not know if the dog's handler was being investigated or not.
Oakley was used as an explosive sniffing dog and was the only police dog stationed at the Independent Hill branch.
"I handled three dogs over 17 years and they become life family," Clifton said. "Those dogs are your partners. No one is more upset about this than the dog's handler."
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA


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