Posts tagged "k9"

Officer Mourns Loss of Canine Partner

by Rebecca Quimby (Subscribe to Rebecca Quimby's posts): Jan 11th 2010 11:00AM Filed Under: Dogs, Pets News

A policeman in Houston is mourning the loss of his Czech-German shepherd, who was killed in the line of duty after more than three years on the job, reports The Houson Chronicle. The dog, Blek, ran into a marsh while pursuing burglary suspects. When the faithful canine didn't return, Harris County Precinct 4 deputy constable Ted Dahlin and other officers began searching for him. "My lieutenant and sergeant found him," Dahlin said. "My sergeant met me before I got there, held me back, and gave me a hug. I knew at that point what happened." One of the suspects had strangled Blek to death.

According to Dahlin, the 5-year-old dog was his best friend. "He was doing his job," Dahlin told the Houston Chronicle. "Am I happy about what happened? Of course not. But I'm proud that my dog did his job." Dahlin added that a canine's job is to step in front of danger. "I learned how to train him and he learned to train me," Dahlin said. "He was the smarter of the two of us, I can guarantee you that."

The suspects involved in the pursuit are in custody, including 17-year-old Cornelious Harrell, who strangled Blek from behind when the dog attacked Harrell's younger brother.

Police Dog Ordered to Bite Wrong Man

by Evan Jacobs (Subscribe to Evan Jacobs's posts): Nov 12th 2009 10:00AM Filed Under: Dogs, Pets News, Hero Pets

Police Dog Flickr/Svadilfari

On Nov. 9, a police dog bit a man who was trying to defend his home from a would-be burglar. Tim Crossan, of Eugene, Ore. had just broken his hand on the face of the intruder when police, responding to a call, flooded into his home and ordered their K9 unit to attack Mr. Crossan. In the confusion, the burglar escaped and Mr. Crossan was bitten twice. The police have yet to apologize for this incident, although they described it as "unfortunate." At least they went on to say that Crossan, who had protected his wife and children, was "heroic."

Dogs have been used officially to help police officers since the late 1850s in Germany, when they were first employed purely as a deterrent, used only for their teeth and growls. However, the informal use of dogs in law enforcement goes back to the Middle Ages and most likely even before that. These days, dogs help officers primarily with their sense of smell, which is so powerful that they can detect scents one-hundred-millionth fainter than the boundaries of human perception. They can easily find drugs, bombs, criminals, and corpses, even when criminals have taken extra measures to mask odors. So although the police can often make mistakes, police dogs do not. They remain an integral part of public safety.

Laid Off K-9 Police Dog Gets His Job Back!

by Helena Sung (Subscribe to Helena Sung's posts): Jun 17th 2009 4:00PM Filed Under: Dogs, Pets News, Hero Pets

Photo: Officer Steve Timmons, Aberdeen Police Department

Poor Nitro. The six year-old German Shepherd police dog tried not to take it personally when he was laid off from the Aberdeen Police Department last month. Police Chief Bob Torgerson blamed it on budget cuts, which forced him to eliminate Nitro's job, which costs the department $12,000 annually, reports the Seattle Times.

Most of that $12,000 is comprised of overtime pay for K-9 police officer Steve Timmons to care for Nitro during off hours. Timmons offered to donate his time and work for free, but the department, union rules and federal and state labor laws made that an impossibility.

Instead, after Nitro was laid off, Officer Timmons started fundraising to bring back his canine partner, who had helped collar 35 to 40 suspects since joining the force in 2005.

Officer Timmons' efforts paid off and he raised $13,000 --- enough for Nitro to re-join the force and work for the next year and a half. "He's anxious to get back to work," Officer Timmons said, appearing this week with Nitro on a televised interview.

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Camouflage Animals

Madagascar Day Gecko
The green Madagascar Day Gecko lives in the dry regions of forests in Madagascar and neighboring islands. They usually grow to be between four to six inches long. Their tail makes up almost half of their length.

Getty Images

Camouflage Animals

Argentine Horned Frog Reptiles
The Argentine Horned Frog, also known as the Horned Frog or Pacman Frog, originated in South America. The green and black amphibian, which can grow up to six inches long, is a popular pets and can live for as long as 10 years.

Camouflage Animals

Walkingstick
The Walkingstick takes its camouflage abilities to the next level by creating the appearance of a stick or twig to hide from predators. While they normally stand still, these insects are able to walk around as though they were a twig caught in the wind. They can be found in tropical forests or woodlands all across the world.

Camouflage Animals

Dwarf Puff Adder
Found in Nambia, the venomous Dwarf Puff Adder hides from the hot desert sun by burying itself in the sand, where only its eyes show.

Camouflage Animals

Stonefish
Often resembling a rock, the brown colored Stonefish camouflages itself perfectly in the ocean. With 13 venomous dorsal spines on its back, the Stonefish can cause tissue damage and respiratory distress, which can lead to cardiovascular shock if left untreated.

Camouflage Animals

Chameleons
Chameleons, the quintessential color-changers, can transform their skin color when their mood, temperature or the amount of light around them is altered. Their hue, which can vary from yellow and pink to brown and black, is also altered when they communicate.

Camouflage Animals

Green Anole
Often confused with chameleons, Green Anoles turn brown when they're stressed or sick. Found in the trees and shrubs of the Southeastern United States, these lizards are popular pets.

Camouflage Animals

The Eastern Wood Frog
The Eastern Wood Frog tricks competitors by changing colors to match its surroundings. Found in North American woodlands, the frog also has a dark black patch from its eye to the base of its front limb that can change colors.

Camouflage Animals