Posts tagged "k-9"

Singer and actress Jennifer Lopez is being sued in Brooklyn Federal Court by a stewardess who claims that J-Lo's former guard dog, a German shepherd named Floyd, attacked her on a private jet in 2006. But Floyd's new owner, "West Wing" actress NiCole Robinson, told the New York Daily News that she was flabbergasted to hear about the lawsuit, and promises she will go to court to defend the dog's reputation.

Robinson and her husband, political consultant Craig Snyder, bought Floyd from a K-9 security firm in South Carolina in 2007 after they were frightened by a home break-in. They paid $35,000 for the dog, who received military training in Germany and whose full name is Floyd vom Meierhof. Lopez's husband Marc Anthony had bought the dog for $39,000 in 2005 and had returned him to the company.

According to the Daily News, the new owners' 4-year old daughter rides happily atop Floyd's ample and furry back.

But when it comes to protecting the family, Floyd means business.

"He's under very strict rules of engagement," Snyder told the Daily News. "The training was remarkable." But off-duty, Snyder says, "Floyd acts like a big baby puppy who just wants to be loved."

What animal lover hasn't daydreamed about ditching their desk job and applying for a job at the zoo? Or at a doggy daycare? Or tracking gorillas in Africa? We sure have, but since most of us may never actually get to work with the animals we love, we thought we'd introduce you to a few people who do.

Name: Ricky Valenzuela
Age: 28
Job: Police K-9 Officer, Mountain View Police Department

How long have you been a police K-9 officer?
Two years. Before that, I was a regular patrol officer.

Please describe what you do.
I'm basically a patrol officer and I have the K-9 dog, Ugo (pronounced "you go") with me as a tool.

As a tool to do what?
Our canines are dual purpose, so that means they are patrol and narcotics detection dogs. The dogs are used for finding people and evidence, for tracking suspects, missing people, and people who may be suicidal. Essentially, the dogs are a locating tool for finding people or drugs.

What is your job like?
If there is a "hot" call or a crime in-progress call, as a K-9 officer, we step up and handle it. We set up a perimeter and we go from there looking for the suspect.

How do you become a K-9 officer?
Most places, you have to be selected into the unit. You have to prove yourself as a patrol officer, work well without a lot of supervision. Also, before I got a K-9 partner, I participated in our department's weekly trainings. I'd be out there with the bite suit on, hiding in trees and bushes taking bites. You actually learn a lot hiding from the dogs. You see the dogs work firsthand -- noses and ears perked up. You see them hit a scent cone and know the odor is coming off of you.

What made you want to be a K-9 officer?
I went to the trainings a couple of times and saw the dogs work. Also, the K-9 officer steps up and handles the hot calls and takes over things. Everyone looks to him to take charge, and that's what I wanted to do. There's nothing like going [on a call] and the victim, witness, or cop says, "This guy went this way, go find him" and I go find them with the dog.

What kind of hours do you and Ugo work?
Most of the crimes we're involved with occur at night, so I work a graveyard shift from eight at night until six in the morning.

Are you in your car patrolling?
Yeah, I'm a regular patrol officer, and when there's a call for a K-9 dog, then I search with the dog. Otherwise, I'm out there doing the regular calls for service -- going to domestic violence calls, accidents...

Is it just you and your dog that patrols?
I'm in the car by myself with the dog. But for most calls we go to, there are other officers there. I never search alone. Depending on the crime, it could be one person with me, or three.

How does Ugo let you know he's found someone?
Our dogs are "find and bark." So when they find someone, they bark at 'em. They're trained to bark, bark, bark.

What if the suspect tries to run away?
If the suspect tries to run away or move, the dog will apprehend him. They're trained to bite. Not to chew, but just to grab on and hold. If people try to run away, the dog will usually bite them on the leg or arm. It makes it harder for you to run away with an eighty-pound dog on your back. It's up to the suspect whether there will be an apprehension.

Trakr, a German Shepherd who died in April at the age of 16 from a degenerative brain disease, will live on in more than just his owner's memories. BioArts International has produced five genetic clones of the heroic dog.

So, why Trakr? Truth be told, he was an incredibly special dog. According to the NY Daily News, he and his owner, James Symington, were among the first K-9 teams at Ground Zero on September 11. They helped to locate the final human survivor, trapped beneath 30 feet of unstable debris.

Symington entered and won BioArts' Best Friends Again contest. In his essay, Symington wrote, "Once in a lifetime, a dog comes along that not only captures the hearts of all he touches but also plays a private role in history."

BioArts CEO, Lou Hawthorne, said, "Trakr's story blew us away."