Thanksgiving morning at 9:30 Officer Julie Schmidt said her final good-byes to her long time partner, K-9 Jessy who had been battling cancer. Wednesday night Julie knew things were not going well for her friend. Jessy's back leg had again swollen, she was retaining fluid, and was in pain. In her heart, Julie knew the cancer was back. Making that trip to the vet, she made that difficult decision, giving Jessy her final selfless gift. Julie whispered in Jessy's ear, reminiscing over all the bad guys they caught and drugs they found.... about what a great police dog and true friend she was. Jessy wagged her tail one last time as she listened to Julie's voice, then she crossed over the Rainbow Bridge. Jessy passed with peace and dignity, free at last from her pain. I received the call while on my way to my Dad's for Thanksgiving. My first thought was "What a terrible day to loose such a wonderful dog! How could any of us bear it?"  But then it dawned on me, what better day to say good-bye? As I searched my heart to find what I could be thankful for on this sad day, I could almost feel that secret nudge from a maligns nose, our secret from July, that there were treats in my pockets for Jessy. (Really, Julie knew what we were up to and we would both suffer from that look, the roll of the eyes, and the Julie pretending nothing was going on.  But that angelic nudge by my pocket prompted me to reflect on many fond memories of Jessy. Along with my tears, I found my smile and knew that I am thankful this day, that a scrappy police dog with one flop ear that I called her boink ear came into my life seven years ago as well as the lives of my daughter and the 4-H Dog Club kids of KY. What a fabulous life this little dog had and what a positive impact she had on so many people. Julie was not Jessy's first handler. Another officer had her before. But he was involved in several wrecks while on the job with Jessy. Jessy suffered severe injuries and after healing was not keen on working for him. She was returned to the K-9 Kennels she was purchased from. There Julie found her. The connection was instant. The little Maligns that hated riding in cars would jump in for Julie, ready for duty. They had a wonderful career together. Jessy captured and located numerous bad guys. She had countless drug finds. One summer when an elderly woman wandered away and became lost, Jessy was called in to help search, almost seven days after her disappearance. On that hot July 4th, Jessy would not give in until she succeeded, bringing much needed closure to the woman's grateful family. Julie and Jessy competed on several occasions in the Police K-9 Olympics in Muncie, IN. Their photo made the AP press as Julie finished the final part of the obstacle coarse which required her to carry Jessy over the finish lie. This was quote a feat. Jessy had been spayed weeks before and Julie had injured her back while lifting Jessy onto the vet's table to have her staples removed. I had the pleasure of going to their last K-9 Olympics. I promised Julie I would get some good photos of Jessy. I was allowed on the obstacle course, high on a hill the two would soon be charging up. As Jessy topped the steep hill with Julie huffing and puffing behind her, her eyes locked on mine. With a sloppy maligns grin I saw a twinkle in her eyes. I held my breath, praying she would not A - see me as a target, which I really wasn't too concerned over, or B - come give me one of her many kisses... my biggest concern. But on she charged past me and down the hill to tackle that "bad guy in the bite suit!" He really was just asking for it after all. I realized her look was more along the lines of "get a load of this and make sure you get my good side!" Jessy was long used to me and my camera. We met when my daughter started a project to buy bullet proof vests for police dogs. When Julie learned about Stephanie's 4-H project, she contacted us, ready to help, knowing we would need a police dog to prove we were legit. Thus; began our long collaboration with Stephanie's Heroes On Paw Project as well as our friendship. Over these past seven years, I have lost track of the many early morning trips to the various TV stations to talk about the vest program, fund raiser, etc. We didn't miss a single one! With the help and support of Julie, K-9 Jessy, and the kids of the 4-H Dog Clubs, Stephanie and her project won many awards and gained National recognition. Jessy was there for every award to share it with Stephanie. One of my fondest memories was at the Bell Awards. I have a photo of Julie feeding cheese cake off her fork to Jessy!
Jessy earned her own share of awards for her work including the Pet Groups United Police Dog Award of Excellence. She became a very popular dog, featured on the cover of "Today's Woman Magazine" appearing in several issues of WOW Girlz magazine, modeling the latest in police wear in a supply catalog, the list goes on.
Jessy always attended the numerous Heroes On Paws Fund Raisers put on by our 4_H Dog Club. She was a perfect ambassador for the police department. I loved watching small kids walk up to her. With a grin she would accept their pats and hugs. I never tired of the awe on their little faces as they touched a "real live police dog." Always at the K-9 booth at the KY March Cluster, she handled herself with dignity and grace, bringing the support of the LKC to the K-9 Unit. One of my fondest memories was one of our 4-H fund raisers early on. Stephanie's 4-H dog had passed way in Stephanie's arms the night before from AIHA. Not wanting to let down the police dogs, Stephanie insisted on attending the event. But Jessy knew something was wrong with Stephanie. That day she ignored Julie, sticking to Stephanie like glue, resting her head in her lap any time she sat down. Jessy helped Stephanie get through ne of the hardest days of her young life. For that I will always be grateful. Social and friendly Jessy was, but on the many photo shoots I did with her, i saw the business end of her as well. This was one dog any person in their right mind did not want to tangle with! She knew the difference between social events and work. I never tired of photographing her in action, then having her prance over to me for a hug and secret treat. I will always remain in awe of her. My memories keep pouring in at random like a damn that has been breached. Each one brings tears along with smiles. My heart aches along with Julie's. We have been sending email memories back and forth. With Jessy's phantom nudge, I realize that her passing leaves us with much to be thankful for. She brought my young daughter into adulthood helping her grow into a confidant, strong young woman who loves her dogs and enjoys working with them. She has done the same for many of our 4-H youth. she has inspired us. As "poster dog" for Stephanie's Heroes On Paws, she has helped raise funds to assist countless fellow police K9s. And she has been a shining K-9 ambassador. A successful career Police dog. She was our "bikini dog" loving to relax by Julie's' pool. She was our "Supah Stah" famous K-9!  She was our original Hero ON Paws. For all of us who's lives she touched, we have much to be thankful for in that scrappy smiling police dog with the one boink ear. 
God speed to you, K-9 Jessy. I know you will be there to greet us all when our time
comes to join you on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge.  submitted by Julie and written by Kathy Garcia

During the early morning hours of Saturday, August 11, 2007, Sergeant Debbie Pritt’s retired K-9 partner, JP, passed away. JP was one of the first K-9s acquired after Officer Johnnie Patterson Jr. was killed in the line of duty. He was proudly named after Officer Patterson and served the department and his fellow officers well.
He will be especially missed by his handler and partner, Sergeant Pritt. They had a wonderful career together and many of us will have great memories to share. He was greatly missed when he retired and he will be missed even more now. Captain Charlie Bird Support Services Bureau Commander
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K-9 Bought to Restart Corps Dies - By John Chambliss The Ledger David Mills (photo)
Winter Haven Police Officer Debbyie Pritt worked agility training with J.P. at the Lakeland Police Training Center in June 26, 1997.  J.P. was named to honor the memory of a Winter Haven police officer who was slain in the line of duty in 1997. Officer Johnny Patterson died while chasing a suspect who fled a routine traffic stop. His body laid in the woods until a K-9 unit from the Polk County Sheriff's Office found him. That tragedy prompted a fundraising drive that restarted the Police Department's K-9 Unit that now numbers four dogs.J.P. died Saturday of a heart attack. He was 11. During his 9-year career, he helped nab criminals, sniff out hidden drugs and search for missing people. The German shepherd was the first dog in the department’s resurrected canine unit, retiring from active duty in January 2005. J.P. lived with his former handler, Sgt. Deborah Pritt. On Saturday, J.P. began acting strange. He was panting heavily and would not walk around. A veterinarian told Pritt to bring the dog in for a check-up. Patterson’s father named J.P. after finding a canine became a priority for the department following Patterson’s death in March 1997. Patterson was shot in the face when he chased a suspect following a traffic stop. He lay in the woods for nearly an hour before a Polk County Sheriff’s deputy arrived with a K-9. The dog found his body within minutes. Patterson’s family established an account to raise money for the Police Department’s K-9 unit. Through donations, the department purchased J.P. for $1,800 when he was 14-months-old in May 1997.submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA

Handler: Mary Flood
SAR group - WTC
address - UTAH

Sept. 11 Rescue Dog Dies of Cancer - By VERENA DOBNIK, Associated Press Writer
Mary Flood leashes her black Labrador retriever search and a black Labrador that burrowed through smoking debris after Sept. 11 and flooded rubble after Hurricane Katrina in search of survivors has died of cancer. Owner Mary Flood had 12-year-old Jake put to sleep Wednesday after a last stroll through the fields and a dip in the creek near their home in Oakley, Utah. Flood said Jake had been in pain, shaking with a 105-degree fever as he lay on the lawn. No one can say whether the dog would have gotten sick if he hadn't been exposed to the toxic air at the World Trade Center, but cancer in dogs Jake's age is common. Some owners of rescue dogs who worked at ground zero claim their animals have died because of their work there. But scientists who have spent years studying the health of Sept. 11 search-and-rescue dogs have found no sign of major illness in the animals. Many human ground zero workers have complained of health problems they attribute to their time at the site: the largest study conducted of about 20,000 ground zero workers reported last year that 70 percent of patients suffer respiratory disease years after the cleanup. The city earlier this year added to its Sept. 11 death toll a woman who died in 2002 of lung disease, five months after she was caught in the dust cloud of the collapsing twin towers. The results of an autopsy on Jake's body will be part of a medical study on the Sept. 11 dogs that was started by the University of Pennsylvania more than 5 years ago. Flood adopted Jake as a 10-month-old puppy. He had been abandoned on a street with a broken leg and a dislocated hip. "But against all odds he became a world-class rescue dog," said Flood, a member of Utah Task Force 1, a federal search-and-rescue team that looked for human remains at ground zero. On the evening of the team's arrival in New York, Jake walked into a fancy Manhattan restaurant wearing his search-and-rescue vest and was treated to a free steak dinner under a table. Flood eventually trained Jake to become one of fewer than 200 U.S. government-certified rescue dogs _ an animal on 24-hour call to tackle disasters such as building collapses, earthquakes, hurricanes and avalanches. After Katrina, Flood and Jake drove from Utah to Mississippi, where they searched for survivors in flooded homes. In recent years, Jake helped train younger dogs across the country. He showed them how to track scents, even in the snow, and how to look up if the scent was in a tree. He also did therapy work with children at a Utah camp for burn victims and at senior homes and hospitals. "He was a great morale booster wherever he went," Flood said. "He was always ready to work, eager to play _ and a master at helping himself to any unattended food items." She said Jake's ashes would be scattered "in places that were important to him," such as his Utah training grounds and the rivers and hills near his home where he swam and roamed.  submitted by R. Konias & Jenn

It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my K9 partner, Jimmy. He originally from Hungary, was a three year old German Shepherd and served as a narcotic and patrol (tracking, criminal apprehension) K9 with the Vernon Police Department. During Jimmy’s year long career, he performed numerous narcotic searches which resulted in arrests of suspects for possession of marijuana, cocaine, and heroin. Due to his narcotic searching ability, Jimmy was used in surrounding towns, as well as with the CT State Police, with the same success seen in Vernon. Jimmy also performed numerous home and building searches for suspects, searches for evidence, tracks for suspects, and performed K9 demonstrations for the public, including the 2005 Citizens Police Academy. Surrounded by family at his home, Jimmy succumbed to heart failure on September 10, 2006. Jimmy will be sorely missed by my wife, me, and his best friend and companion, Lexi (our 3 year old female Shepherd). 
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Vernon police dog dies  - By: Jason Rowe, Journal Inquirer - 09/18/2006 - Connecticut
Police are dealing with the death of one of the department's two police dogs. Jimmy, a 3-year-old German Shepherd, died on Sept. 10 while off-duty after succumbing to heart disease, Lt. Mel Hardy said in a press release. The dog had been ill for several weeks before his death.  Jimmy had been partnered with Officer David Hatheway since October 2005. During that time, he was certified in narcotics detection and patrol procedures by the North American Police Work Dog Association and the Connecticut Police Work Dog Association, Hardy said. Hatheway and Jimmy were involved in a number of arrests and deployments between November 2005 and the dog's death. Among there accomplishments are the arrests of numerous suspects for possession of marijuana, cocaine, and heroin. In all, Jimmy was responsible for helping police discover 16 narcotics violations, Hardy said. Jimmy also played a role in four building searches for burglary suspects, 10 track searches for various crimes, one article search for items taken or used during a bank robbery, and one preventative operation at a large fight. Jimmy had also been deployed five times to other towns to assist with narcotics violations or to track suspects from a stolen car, police said. Jimmy also appeared in numerous demonstrations, including one at the recently completed Citizens Police Academy. With Jimmy's death, the department's police dog unit will have only one dog, Ivan, who is partnered with Officer James Grady, Capt. James Kenny said today. In the meantime, the department will work to find a new dog to replace Jimmy. Training for the new dog could begin as early as February,Kenny said. submitted by Jim Cortina

requested by email photo

Handler:
Johnson City Police Department
601 E Main St, Johnson City, TN
(423) 434-6160

He was a lot of dog - (Maltese dog) Jerry, a former Johnson City Police Department K9, dies The Johnson City Police Dept. lost one of its own this week when a former police dog passed away. K9 Jerry served as a Johnson City officer from 1998 through 2003, at which time he had to retire due to medical problems with his back. He was nearly 13 years old when he died. A Brisbane father who set his bull mastiff dog on to two men in a suburban park has been sentenced to three years in jail.    submitted by Jim Cortina

 Veteran police dog put to sleep By ISHMAEL TATE 9/14/06  South Carolina 
A Lexington County Sheriff’s Department K-9 police dog that handled more than 1,000 calls and served 12 years was put to sleep Monday. Junior, a 17-year-old mixed breed redbone and bloodhound, suffered from severe hip and leg problems, said Lexington County Sheriff James R. Metts.  Junior was a member of the department’s Man-Tracking Team and successfully tracked down 68 percent of the criminal suspects and missing persons he was assigned to find, Metts said. “Junior was a very durable dog,” said Col. Mel Seboe, who supervises the team. “He ran more calls for service and served a longer tour of duty than most bloodhounds who serve on the Man-Tracking Team.” Most bloodhounds work only eight to 10 years before retiring. West Columbia Police Sgt. John Norman, who was one of Junior’s handlers when he worked for the sheriff’s department’s tracking team, cared for Junior after he retired in January 2004. Maj. George Brothers and Junior joined the team at the same time in 1992. “Junior and I learned and grew together. We found many lost children and put many criminal suspects in jail,” Brothers said. “I have truly lost a friend.” The tracking team has two K-9 police dogs, Metts said. Hammer and Annie are sibling purebred bloodhounds.
submitted by Jim Cortina

A local police officer is facing the loss of his K-9 partner after the dog was diagnosed with cancer. Officer Chris Mead has been working with 5-year-old Jalk, a German Sherphard, since 2004 at the Canby Police Department. Jalk’s veterinary oncologist said the next step is to give the dog an MRI to find out what kind of tumor he has and whether they can operate. The oncologist said they know the tumor is in Jalk’s neck, which is a dangerous place to perform surgery because of all the nerves and blood vessels. Mead said it is hard to think about losing Jalk. Mead said Jalk has helped him at work by saving his life and he’s also a part of the family. “It’s a huge loss. It’s a family member. This is somebody you learn to love and care about, spend time with. When we’re not working, we play ball and things like that,” said Mead. “The kids play with him and are used to having him around. It’s definitely tough.” The Canby Police Department is checking to see if they have the funds to get an MRI for Jalk, which could cost around $1,500. The police department relies on community donations to pay for police dogs and each dog costs around $10,000. Officers said the dogs make up that cost in the man hours and lives they save. **Update: After FOX 12 aired the story about Jalk, the MRI costs have been donated by VDIC of Clackamas. At 3 p.m. on Thursday, Jalk will receive his necessary MRI, giving doctors answers to Jalk's condition and if surgery is still an option. Several donations and offers have come in, including two MRI imaging centers in Salem that were willing to donate
their equipment and technicians.
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previous article:
A local police officer is facing the loss of his K-9 partner after the dog was diagnosed with cancer. Officer Chris Mead has been working with 5-year-old Jalk, a German Sherphard, since 2004 at the Canby Police Department. Jalk’s veterinary oncologist said the next step is to give the dog an MRI to find out what kind of tumor he has and whether they can operate. The oncologist said they know the tumor is in Jalk’s neck, which is a dangerous place to perform surgery because of all the nerves and blood vessels. Mead said it is hard to think about losing Jalk. Mead said Jalk has helped him at work by saving his life and he’s also a part of the family. “It’s a huge loss. It’s a family member. This is somebody you learn to love and care about, spend time with. When we’re not working, we play ball and things like that,” said Mead. “The kids play with him and are used to having him around. It’s definitely tough.” The Canby Police Department is checking to see if they have the funds to get an MRI for Jalk, which could cost around $1,500. The police department relies on community donations to pay for police dogs and each dog costs around $10,000. Officers said the dogs make up 
that cost in the man hours and lives they save. 
**Update: 
After FOX 12 aired the story about Jalk, the MRI costs have been donated by VDIC of Clackamas. At 3 p.m. on Thursday, Jalk will receive his necessary MRI, giving doctors answers to Jalk's condition and if surgery is still an option. Several donations and offers have come in, including two MRI imaging centers in Salem that were willing to donate their equipment and technicians. submitted by Jim Cortina

Bloomfield Township police dog Jazz recently marched in a parade for cancer survivors. She was asked to do so by her friends in the community, who knew Jazz had herself survived cancer. Not only that, Jazz never missed a day of work while undergoing radiation and chemotherapy. "She got a little banner with all the other survivors," said her handler and partner, K-9 Officer Gary Godlewski, who accompanied her in the walk in West Bloomfield. "She was a very unique dog, very lovable, very popular in the community."  The German shepherd, however, could not survive complications from recent surgery for arthritis. She died on Thursday, Nov. 30, at age 8.Godlewski got Jazz from Holland in 1999 when she was one. She was trained to find narcotics and do tracking. Jazz soon proved as adept at finding missing people and narcotics as she was at making new friends for the police department while giving demonstrations to students, Cub Scouts and civic groups. "She was an excellent working dog but could turn around and look a kid in the face and be just as lovable. It's very rare that you can find a dog with her working ability," said Godlewski, who holds a master trainer designation from the International Police Work Dog Association. He also serves as the canine coordinator for the Oakland Police Academy. "She did a lot of good work. We had a case on a stolen car and she did such a fast track to apprehend the suspect, I was given a departmental award. I felt guilty because she did all the work. She did get to go to the awards ceremony." After a few years of service, it was found that Jazz had cancerous tumors, and wasn't supposed to live for more than a year. But "she was a feisty little thing," he said. After treatment, she received a clean bill of health and lived an additional four years. When Jazz retired, she was replaced by Brisco, age 5, who is Godlewski's fourth dog. But Godlewski could tell Jazz missed her work. And "just this year, we decided to bring her out of retirement." She was trained to sniff for explosives and once again excelled. "Jazz ended up being a phenomenal explosive dog." There were no actual explosives cases Jazz had to work on, however, which he said was a good thing. In her lifetime, Godlewski said that Jazz worked over 300 cases. In October, Jazz attended the annual Police and Fire Open House. "A lot of people remembered her and were happy to see her."  At nights, Jazz went home with Godlewski to his Oakland County home where she was able to play with Brisco, and relax with his wife and daughter. He also has a second daughter, who is married. The department and many others miss Jazz, he said. "There has been a nice outpouring of support. It makes it a little easier."  Bloomfield Township's canine unit is the longest serving in Michigan, having had working dogs for more than 40 years.  submitted by Jim Cortina

K-9 Jari - (Pronounced Ya-Dee).Breed: German Shepherd. Color: Black & Tan Age; 6yrs. Born July 11th 1999  Birthplace: The Netherlands - Purchased From: Northern Michigan K-9 Inc. for $8500.00 - Deputy Richard Rodden holds the ashes of his dog, Jari, during memorial services. Jari's ashes were spread over the dog obstacle course, his favorite spot to play.  Police dog was special to community - Hundreds of Howell residents say goodbye to Jari, a member of Sheriff's Department.
Jon Zemke / Special to The Detroit News 2/28/06 - John M. Galloway / Special to The Detroit News
A large pillow sits empty on Rick Rodden's side of the bed. That's where the Livingston County Sheriff's Department deputy's police dog, Jari, dragged it to sleep when Rodden brought the German Shepherd home to his family. "That's where he slept from the third night to the last night," Rodden said.  The last night came last week when Rodden had Jari, pronounced Ya-dee, euthanized. The Sheriff's Department retired Jari, its top police dog, just a few days earlier due to a degenerative back condition.  Jari was not only well-known among members of the Sheriff's Department, he was familiar among hundreds of school children and community members as well. Jari and his handler Rodden visited hundreds of classrooms and community service groups to inform them on the department's K-9 unit.  On the job, Jari was well-respected for his work in finding explosives, tracking suspects and in some cases apprehending them.  Last Saturday morning, nearly 200 community residents as well as many police officers who worked with Jari and Rodden attended a memorial
service for the dog at Police Department headquarters in Howell.  Police officers who worked with Jari and Rodden, including several other canine teams from Ann Arbor and Lansing, lined up beside Rodden and his wife as they spoke about Jari and how special the dog was to not only their family but the community. After the speeches, Rodden sprinkled Jari's ashes on the canine teams' training field while a member of Cook's Boy Scout Troop played taps.  Kevin Cook, an assistant Scoutmaster in Howell, said Jari and Rodden helped demonstrate handling a suspicious vehicle during a campout. The scouts, some of whom cried at the memorial, took to him right away.  "They really liked Jari," said Cook, who added that his wife also knew Jari from teaching second grade at St. Joseph Catholic Elementary School in Howell.  Jari won many police dog competitions across the nation.  "This is what the dog loved to do," Rodden said. "He wasn't a house dog. He loved to work. His favorite part of the day was when I put on my uniform to go to work."   Jim Bolling, a former canine officer at the Sheriff's Department, said it's normal for police officers to treat their dogs more as tools 
rather than as pets. He said there is definitely a bond between the two, but the officer knows the dog is a tool first. "Because you know the dog is not going to last forever. It's going to happen a lot sooner than you think it's going to happen," Bolling said.  Rodden understands that concept, but he still treated Jari like family. Rodden uses words like dad and son when describing their relationship. He smiles when he talks about how Jari lets his son Austin sleep on his stomach or how Jari playfully dragged the 8-year-old around the house while playing tug of war.  He was like a light switch," Rodden said. "He would be on when he was needed to be on and off when he needed to be off. I have countless pictures of him being mobbed by kindergartners."  Kids loved Jari. Students flocked around him when he visited classrooms. A third-grade
class in Hartland raised $1,500 to buy Jari a bulletproof vest after meeting him. Jari made it easy for police officers to make a positive first impression, especially with kids.  "You bring a dog into the mix and their attention is at a peak level," Livingston County Sheriff Bob Bezotte said. "Everybody loves dogs."  Criminals hated Jari. He tracked down numerous suspects in all sorts of weather, including finding a man hiding in waist deep water in a hole in the ice covered with reeds earlier this month. That was one of his many great finds, said Steve Armstrong, the supervisor of the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department Canine Unit.  He called Jari an "outstanding street dog." Federal agencies always asked Jari to help at major events, such as University of Michigan Football games or the Super Bowl.  "They handpick people for those events," Armstrong said. "They don't just take anybody."  Rodden knew Jari lived to work. There was no other choice in Rodden's mind. He asked the veterinarian to euthanize him while he hugged his partner one last time.  "To do anything less than what I did would have killed him," Rodden said. "It would have killed his spirit inside. I didn't want to kill his spirit. I wanted him to go out on top. I don't have any regrets about that."