memorial3a

Memorials to Fallen K-9s

2000 page7b
F.A.S.T. Co. donates cards to all partners
of all working dogs/horses sent by priority mail

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In Loving Memory of
K-9 "RUGER"
1992 - Oct. 6, 2000

Partner: MIKE ANDREL
Darby Twp. PD Sharon Hills, PA

Jaeger, Toby & Ruger

Ruger died of Cancer. We had no warning at all that week he was just great tracking a burgulary suspect to a house and found drugs the next night and was just unbelievable and I found him that Friday morning at the bottom of my basement steps. His buddies, Toby my oldest who is 12 and still kicking and Jaeger his son. It was like he wanted to be with them before he left. It is still a very hard thing to deal with but I know he is in a better place watching over us .... Mike

Hot Dog Tech - Can the Hotdog save man's best friend?
By Becky Worley, Tech Live - Originally posted July 5, 2002

On a hot summer's day it takes only minutes for a dog to die of heat exhaustion in a closed car. A vehicle with its windows rolled up left in an unshaded area in summer can heat up to nearly double the outside temperature within minutes. Tonight's "Tech Live" takes a look at a possible solution to the deadly problem. Police officer Michael Andrel in Darby Township Pennsylvania adores his partner. Yeager is a highly trained German shepherd who rides on patrol with Andrel. But Yeager doesn't leave the squad car for every call. Sometimes he has to stay in the back of the car, even on hot muggy East Coast summer days. That can be dangerous. But Andrel has a weapon to protect his partner -- a device called the Hotdog, a temperature monitor used in canine unit police cars. The sensor's thermometer measures air temperature inside the car. When it reaches 85 degrees, the horn of the vehicle begins to beep. How the Hotdog works. It's not just a warning device. Hotdog, which is manufactured by law enforcement equipment maker Criminalistics, is hooked into the car's electrical system. When temperatures reach 88 degrees inside the cruiser, the horn blares even more frequently, then a fan is activated near Yeager's cage and the windows are automatically rolled down. On a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a shaded car is 90 degrees. A car parked in the sun can reach 160 degrees in minutes. For a dog, heatstroke death takes just 15 minutes. The Hotdog system has been used by Andrel and other canine units in Darby County during the past three years and now other police departments elsewhere are finding a need for the device. Tragic incident. Police in Pennsylvania say they think the Hotdog device could have saved Woodrow, a Philadelphia police dog with the K-9 unit who died last month when his handler accidentally left him in the car on a day when the temperature topped 85 degrees. As a result of the tragic death of Woodrow, a 5-year-old German shepherd, the Philadelphia Police Department is implementing the Hotdog system. All the units were donated by music publisher and Philadelphia philanthropist Kal Rudman. He is also donating two new dogs for the police department and another German shepherd to replace Woodrow. For every pooch. But the Hotdog is not just for police departments. It's available to purchase for $328. If you want one with a pager that alerts you to the car's temperature, the price is $598. You can buy the device at Criminalistics' website. The system is also available from the Ray Allen Manufacturing website for $309.95 ($524.95 for the pager model). To order, scroll down to the bottom of the page. If you can't afford the Hotdog, here are some analog tips for keeping your dog safe, courtesy of a Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine article distributed to canine officers: Heat stroke is a life threatening medical emergency that occurs when an overheated dog's body temperature soars four to seven degrees above the normal range of 100 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit.
What to look for:
Excessive panting
Brick-red oral membranes
Weakness
Loss of coordination, or collapse
What to do:
Contact your veterinarian, who may direct you to begin cooling the dog yourself or to bring it to the clinic.
If you begin cooling your dog, use cool, not ice-cold, water & a fan to bring the dog's body temperature down to 103.
How to prevent heatstroke
Never leave a dog unattended in a car during warm weather.
Keep your dog inside on hot, humid days, particularly if the heat regulation mechanisms are compromised by age, heart, lung disease, or a pug nose. If you leave your dog outside, provide plenty of fresh water (with a backup supply if one bowl tips over) and access to shade at all times of day. Don't shave longhaired dogs in hot weather. Hair coats operate as air-filled buffers shielding the dog's skin from heat.

FROM A PUPPY, TO A PARTNER, TO A MEMORY
Although October 6th was one of the worst days of my life, our friends and partners do not live forever. On that day, I lost my friend, buddy, family member and police K-9 Partner Ruger. As both a K-9 Officer and trainer both for sport and police, we must all prepare for this day. I know this is something that is not talked about, but this was important to me and anyone else that can share with this loss. It all goes back to a day in April 1992. This little fur ball came in from Germany on the Lufthansa flight. His name was Ruger (vom haus Dexel). The challenge was on! He was a puppy with attitude, part John Belushi. His accomplishments were multi times Sch H 3 and he was DPO II and WPO 4 times; he was also a Drug Dog. Ruger was following in the footsteps of Toby (alex vom haus dexel), my first Schutzhund dog raised from a puppy to Sch H3 FH V-rated, and also a retired police dog, who is still kicking at 12 years old. There are not enough pages in the magazine to explain this relationship. Ruger was more than just a police dog. No, he didn’t make any major bust or catch a fleeing robber that shot at him, but there were two incidents that come to mind that I will always remember. The first involved a car stolen from a neighboring town. The pursuit started, and into Philadelphia they went. After going down a dead end street, the two suspects fled; fortunately, one tripped and was taken into custody ten feet from the car. But the driver got away. So the call went out for a dog (K9) but none were working the street this night, 2:07 AM. So, the Sharon Hill Police asked to contact Darby Township’s K-9, which was Officer Mike Andrel and K-9 Ruger, who at this time were home and asleep. After receiving the call, we responded to the scene and started the track from the car. After tracking down the street, into the woods, and over two hills into a small group of trees, Ruger came upon a large pile of leaves; he was coming to a stop and downing what turned out to be the subject’s chest. The only words we heard were, “Please get the dog.” At this time Ruger was just crawling, but after given the command to Platz, he remained still. The subject was taken into custody. While going back to the car, Ruger was jumping and barking, for he knew he had done a good job. The second incident was on a Sunday night. While on routine patrol of one of our parks, we came upon a suspicious van that stopped and started to back up the street. After turning around, the car headed to one of the main roads in our township. After turning on the main road (Hook Road), I activated my lights and hit my siren a few times, but the van continued on and then turned onto a side street. With the vehicle still not responding to my lights or siren, I called to radio that I was attempting to stop a vehicle and, providing the registration, I requested other cars. On Sundays we usually have three cars working, but this night there were only two, and our other car was on the other side of town. Answering the radio that the other car was en route, the minivan now turned down another side street toward a local bar known for drug dealings, where numerous shootings have occurred. The van stopped right behind the bar and the driver jumped out. I immediately jumped out and ordered the driver to get back in the car. He started toward the bar and had both hands in his pockets. For a police officer, this makes your hair go up on the back of your neck. He would not take his hands our of his pockets, so I immediately pulled my weapon and again ordered the driver to show me his hands. He continued to walk toward the bar. Having my patrol car door open and my cage open, without any commands Ruger jumped out of the car and went around to the other side, and started to come to the front of my patrol car. Seeing the dog, the driver stopped immediately. Again, not knowing that Ruger was out of the car, I glanced over and saw it was Ruger, my patrol dog. The driver then immediately took his hands out of this pockets, raised his hands and said, “Get that dog.” Ruger started to go toward him, and given the command to Platz, he followed. In the distance I could hear sirens from incoming police vehicles. I had contacted the dispatcher that my K-9 was out of the car (which is our department’s policy). Still, with my weapon on the driver, I order him to the ground and then handcuffed him. Ruger crawled up beside the driver, growling the whole time. The driver just kept saying, “Please hold the dog.” The driver was searched and drugs were found. This was part of a domestic in which the wife was looking for the van. The driver was taken to headquarters and processed. Everything happened so fast; if it weren’t for Ruger, things might have turned out differently. Later that night, I looked in the rearview mirror and saw Ruger’s familiar head, his one ear up and the other off to the side. I thank God for having a partner like him. These are just two incidents that will always stand out in Ruger’s career, and in my life. But there were all the schools we visited over his six years. It was the kids that loved Ruger or Ruper or Rugger or all the other names they had for him. To see the kids at all the demonstrations he did, and to see the parents…that is what makes a K-9 special (yes, you could pet Ruger and he was fine with groups and crowds). But the thanks go back to so many people…all the old members of the Greater Philadelphia Schutzhund Club, Jim Hill, Rich Rosen, Bill & Mary Beth Talley, Frank Fisher, Patsy, Ed, Debbie and many more. They all helped form Ruger’s foundation and personality. He was not the best sport dog, but on the street Ruger was very serious and very special. More thanks go to all the members of Delaware Valley Police and Schutzhund Club, especially Brian & Michele Jones. I must thank DPO Judge Mike West for giving Ruger the opportunity to be my first DPO dog and qualifying for the World K-9 Police Dog Team. Thanks to Wendell Nope for giving Ruger the opportunity to be part of one of the most prestigious teams in the world, the United States Police K-9 team not once, but twice, Ruger receiving a qualifying score in both events, and for being a part of the 100 year anniversary of the German Shepherd in Germany; this will live on forever.

cards received 6/26 over night! You're most welcome, Mike.

I have another partner, Jaeger. He is another GSD that I raised from a puppy. I have his father, Toby at home who is retired and twelve years. I have a bomb dog GSD, 9 years, Mao, another GSD Patrol and Drugs 4years. And Jaeger was bred and there are 3 puppies on the ground in Washington that hopefully will be the 3rd generation police dog, we will see. Mike

In Loving Memory of
K-9 "MAC" LODD
October 14, 1982
Ceremony 2000

Partner:
Patrolman Robert Parrish
Trenton Police Department
225 N. Clinton Ave.
Trenton, NJ 08609

The Best Partner
by Ken Carolan The Trentonia, Oct. 16, 1982
He was a most unlikely recruit. Even in this day of equal opportunity and affirmative action, his appearance and questionable background would surely disqualify him. Dirty and unkempt, skinny, with no visible means of support and no known address, cowering when anyone approached him - no; he would never make it on the Trenton Police force most people believed. That's most people, not all. Patrolman Bob Parrish sensed something about him, this scroungey looking creature who showed up outside the K9 training center every day. Parrish had just transferred to the K-9 unit and was waiting for a dog to become his partner. continue -->

Usually someone donates a suitable animal. This one volunteered by himself. Despite some skeptics, Bob took the dog home. First, a much needed bath, then a couple of weeks of good food, a lot of love and care from Bob and family. "Mac" was ready to report for K-9 training. some people might say Bob Parrish adopted Mac. I saw the two of them together many times. Believe me, it was the other way around. I never saw a dog so devoted to his mater, in this case, his partner. Mac Breezed through the training period, obviously loving every minute, especially when he knew he pleased his partner with his performance. Once on the street on regular patrol he was all business. But, Bob's wife, Patty, told me as soon as Mac came home after duty, he was just a friendly pup romping with the children, gentle and affectionate with everyone. In less than five months on the force, ......

There was a ceremony this year (2000)
to bring closure for Officer Parrish. On October 14, 1982, Patrolman Bob Parrish and his K-9 partner, Mac, responded to a burglary in progress at a tavern. On their arrival, the officers at the scene reported seeing the silhouette of a person on the premise. Patrolman Parrish and Mac entered the building and conducted a search as they were trained. It was in the basement that a suspect armed with a knife lunged from a utility closet. As he was trained, Mac pounced on the suspect and during the ensuing struggle, Mac was stabbed in the chest and mortally wounded. Patrolman Parrish rushed his partner to the veterinary hospital, where Mac died from his wound shortly after arriving. Mac will always be remembered by the Trenton Police Department for his service and the extreme sacrifice he made in the performance of his duties. Mac's presence on the scene likely saved an officer from serious injury from the armed suspect who was predisposed to attack with his knife. As the result of Mac's death, New Jersey passed legislation making it a crime to assault a Police Animal.

In Loving Memory of
K-9 ARCO
September 7, 2000

Partner:
Officer Jon Granberry
Grand Prairie Police Dept. TX

Agency Loses K-9 to Heat Stroke 9/7/00
Backup news staff writer Richard Rogers

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Less than a week after their new canine arrived in Texas from Holland, the Grand Prairie Police Department lost him to heat stroke. Temperatures in North Texas on Monday were a record-setting 111 degrees and officials believe that the dog, Arco, died because of this. Arco was a three-year-old Belgian Malinois for whom the department paid $4,750. According to Police Chief Glen Hill, the handler, Officer Jon Granberry, was devastated.
"To be in that assignment, you have to have a great love for the animal. Though he only had him for less than 48 hours, there was a bond there," Hill said. Granberry had kept Arco in a shaded kennel and had wet him down several times in the intense heat. "I believe I did everything I could," he said.
Administrators are talking to the vendor since they feel they were not given adequate instructions regarding the care of Arco. The vendor, Mike Clemenson of Hill Country Dog Center, said, "Anytime a dog comes from a cooler climate like Holland, you have to take that into consideration...I've never had a dog die like this before."

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