Memorials to Fallen K-9s 
 2004 page 05
The F.A.S.T. Co. donates sets of 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 FALCO
June 12, 1995 - February 11, 2004

Partner: Dennis J. Scully (ret. PTL)
Taunton Police Department
Taunton, MA
Chief of Police David Westcoat
18 Pleasant St
Taunton, Massachusetts 02780
(508)824-7522
Taunton Police Department's K9 Falco was born 12 June 1995 in Wurzburg Germany.  He arrived in the United States at Boston's Logan Airport on March 14, 1998, where I (Dennis J. Scully, Ptl.) picked him up and became his partner.  Falco never showed any fear in training or with the many tasks he was asked to perform.  Training for basic police work, Falco was very focused in tracking, apprehension and excelled in crowd control. 
    Falco performed dozens of K9 demonstrations in the Southeastern Massachusetts area and Cape Cod.  Children were allowed to pet and interact with Falco in their schools and demonstrations.  The Scully Family (wife Kathleen, 25 year old son, David) enjoyed and accepted Falco as the family member he was.  He had the run of the house.
    He had been hit by a car while tracking on lead, and by a police cruiser.  Assaults had taken their toll during crowd control and eventually, Falco was diagnosed with three herniated disc.  Surgery was performed January 2003, with follow-up physical and water therapy.  He responded very well to the therapy, but in December 2003, he began having problems with coordination.  He was diagnosed with degenerative nerve damage in his back.
    Rather than leave Falco alone, K9 Falco and Handler Dennis J. Scully both retired from the Taunton Police Department on 26 December 2003.
    Falco loved to ride in the car, so he went everywhere.  He needed to be lifted in and out, because he could not climb or jump.  His condition continued to worsen.
    On February 11, 2004, the decision was made, when K9 Falco could not control his rear legs, and he was euthanized. 


 I went to the viewing of the Norfolk County K9, Axel, in January.  Happen to be friends with the three K9 Handlers from Norfolk.  Falco had trained with all three Norfolk County K9's. 
    We had an old fashioned "Irish Wake" on March 4th 2004 for Falco at my home.  Many of the Canine Handlers from around Massachusetts, along with officers Falco worked with, family and friends attended.  MA-Vest-A-Dog's Kathy Hines & Sandy Marcal, who were instrumental in outfitting many of the Massachusetts Canine with bullet & stab proof vests, were king enough to attend.  A permanent urn was presented to me, where Falco's Ashes were sealed inside, so he will always be with us.
    Meanwhile, the Taunton PD still has two K9 left.  Handler Steve Correia had K9 Rexx, and Handler Robert Swartz has K9 Rex.  Both dogs have been very well trained, as Falco was, by Capt. Jim Ballinger of the Plymouth County Sheriff's Department, and Lt. Ken Ballinger of the Barnstable County Sheriff's Department.

Late entry
In Loving Memory of
K-9 KATIE  (SAR)
May 4, 2003

Partner: Sue Keenan
Dover Brick First Aid Squad
Elizabeth Police Department
328 Emberly Rd.
Brick, NJ 08723


K-9 "Katie" was adopted from Jersey Shore Animal Center in Brick, NJ on 10-5-2000 after spending 15 months there.  Because of her high play drive I felt she would be a good candidate for Search and Rescue Work.  She went through obedience training and went on to trailing and Cadaver training.  In January of 2003 she was diagnosed with Cancer in her Spleen.  She went through chemotherapy and continued her training.  She attended many seminars throughout her illness; including Marcia and Andy Rebmann's Advanced Cadaver class.  Katie was a member of the Dover Brick First Aid Squad with her partner Sue Keenan.  Katie had gone through two years of training and was approaching the stages of becoming a Certified K-9.  On May 4, 2003  I just returned home from North Carolina with a new K-9 and while introducing "Katie to "Bak"; Katie collapsed and was rushed to Red Bank Veterinary Hospital where she Passed away. 
  Katie will be sorely missed.  
UPDATE
Since 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.









In Loving Memory of
K-9 DIGGER
March 11, 2004

Partner: Undersheriff Jon Dearmore
Wahkiakum County Sheriff's  Office
64 Main Street
Cathlamet, WA 98612
(360) 795-3242
FAX (360) 795-3145


WCSO narcotics canine (K-9) Digger was trained by Master trainer Diane Owsley, who has Diane's Barking Lot, Dogs for Law Enforcement in Seaside Oregon. Ms. Owsley has trained dogs for 20 plus years. Ms. Owsley started training Digger on January 9, 1996 at the Pro- Trainer Program at the Canine Academy Training Center in Leander Texas. Ms. Owsley trained with Digger for six weeks and completed the course and was certified. While at the Canine Academy Digger had 110 finds and 8 misses. Ms .Owsley also has trained with and is an associate member of the Oregon Police Canine Association (OPCA) ,a certifier for Drug Beat National Canine Certification Association, and has worked with many police and sheriff's departments, and is DEA certified.    In late 1996 and early 1997 I started training with Ms. Owsley and Digger. On April 27, 1997. I was certified by Ms. Oswley and passed standards from Oregon Police Canine Association and the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 139-05-915 requirements of Training for Police Dog Handler, 180 hours for general detection, as well as standards from the Washington State Canine Association. Digger is trained to find the "odor of controlled substances" on four different narcotics, marijuana (planted and processed), cocaine, heroin and methamphetamines. Digger and I have worked as a team together for five plus years and logged hundreds of hours in training and actual searching.     Digger and I belong to the Washington State Police Canine Association (WSPCA) and Dogs Against Drugs/Dogs Against Crime (DAD/DAC). We have worked with CCSO/WCSO Drug Task Force, Longview Police Department, Pacific County Sheriff's Office, South Bend Police Department, Washington State Patrol, Naselle youth Camp Naselle School District, Wahkiakum School District, Warrenton Police Department (Oregon), and Tongue Point Job Corp (Oregon).      We have 45 plus documented cases were controlled substances have been found, or where drugs and paraphernalia were found. We have found and documented approximately $11,000.00 in currency on several searches that were related to drug possession and or sales.
Digger and I train approximately two days a week were he is working a rate of 95 percent or higher in finds verse misses, see training log.

submitted by: Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA
rec'd. wonderful t.y. phone call.
Officers mourn K-9 companion
By Lisa Curdy

Wearing a black band of mourning over their badges, Wahkiakum County sheriff's deputies are remembering a fallen comrade whose antics included patiently waiting for food morsels and opening doors.    Digger, a nearly 10-year-old Labrador and boxer mix, worked as the county's narcotics dog from 1997 until he was euthanized Thursday following a brief but severe viral infection.    "I often joked that he was a person trapped in a dog's body," said Digger's K-9 handler, Undersheriff Jon Dearmore, from his Naselle home Friday. "He was as close to a human as you can get."     The bond between officer and K-9 is stronger than most animal-human relationships, because they're together 24 hours a day, every day, Dearmore said.     "I'm just a wreck," the 41-year-old said. "It's like losing a family member. I'll get through it, but I miss him like all get out."   Dearmore met his canine companion in 1996, after he began looking into getting a K-9 for the department.    The then road deputy "instantly fell in love" with the 8-month old pooch when they were introduced at the Barking Lot training facility near Seaside, OR."It was an instant bond, like electricity," the undersheriff said.    Digger, who'd been an abused dog, was rescued and put into an Oregon Humane Society shelter, where master trainer Diane Owsley rescued him.The mixed-breed pup had been slated for euthanasia.   Digger and Dearmore trained together every day and on weekends to fulfill their narcotics certification, Dearmore said.   Until they were certified, "I had to leave him there every night, and it just killed me," he said.   During his eight-year career with the department, Digger helped several police agencies locate about $350,000 of street-value narcotics, as well as about $12,000 in cash, Dearmore said.   An "aggressive indication dog," Digger fulfilled his name and dug into whatever surface he was on when he smelled any variety of dope.   A DARE officer for eight years, Dearmore took his furry partner to schools with him.   "But if I didn't come to school with Digger, I wasn't welcome," he joked. "This guy was an absolute magnet. He loves people, but he loves kids dramatically more. You could see his demeanor change from happy to ultra-happy."   The K-9 also helped calm people following a domestic violence incident or car wrecks, he said.    Dearmore estimated that Digger was the recipient of more than 5 million pets in his lifetime.   The 80-pound pooch was part of the family --- he slept in bed with Dearmore and his wife, or in their daughter's room.   The usually frisky and upbeat Digger became lethargic about four weeks ago.   Veterinarians performed surgery, gave medication therapy and administered numerous tests. The K-9 was suffering from anemia, which is when the red blood cell count declines below normal. It was caused by a viral immune-system deficiency.   "The doctors chalked it up to eight years of sniffing drugs, being in and out of dirty cars and houses," Dearmore said. "The nature of his job played into."   Digger was still heading to work with Dearmore until last week when he wouldn't get out of the car on a call.   Thursday morning, doctors gave Dearmore two options: surgery or euthanasia.  "He's had a second chance at life," Dearmore said he reasoned with himself that morning. "I am not going to let him suffer."   He pulled his daughter out of school and called his wife. Digger's human companions drove to the Oregon animal clinic where he was being treated.   "He walked into the room and wagged his tail, which was amazing. His happy meter went off one more time."   Dearmore's long-time partner looked at him with "these big soft eyes," and everyone "prayed and cried on him," he said. "He was ready. His eyes told me so."   Digger will be cremated, the undersheriff said.   He's still having a hard time believing his friend is gone.   "I'd roll lights and siren, and he'd hunker down," Dearmore said. "A lot of cops smoke after critical incidents, but I'd talk to Digger. He was the most incredible dog you've ever seen in your life. A super neat guy."

Paying tribute to Digger
A memorial service is being planned for Wahkiakum County Sheriff's Office K-9 officer Digger.  Meantime, donations are being accepted at The Bank of the Pacific and Bank of America for a Cowlitz County Humane Society remembrance kennel. The animal in Digger's memorial kennel won't be euthanized and will stay there until they're adopted.  

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