Not up for auction: Cop dog can now enjoy a pet’s life
Published: June 29, 2005
Chief, the Suffolk County police German shepherd that was headed to the auction block, will be allowed to spend the remainder of his life in retirement after lawmakers intervened yesterday.
“This is a more humane way to treat a dog that had served the county,” said Legis. Cameron Alden (R-Islip), one of two lawmakers who stepped in when news spread in May that the county was planning to auction off the 6-year-old patrol dog as “surplus property.”
Chief was pushed off the Suffolk County police force for balking at carrying out his duties, mainly tracking and apprehending suspects, tasks that he once performed brilliantly.
His boss, Sgt. John Durkin, commanding officer of the K-9 unit, thought Chief was too young to retire. He said Chief’s talent as a bomb sniffer could be useful to other law enforcement agencies.
However, after some queries, no one else in New York law enforcement wanted Chief, who earned high marks for much of his career, including a “Cop of the Month” citation from the department in September 2003 for finding an Alzheimer’s patient who had wandered into the woods.
Yesterday, Suffolk lawmakers approved a bill from Legis. Jon Cooper (D-Lloyd Harbor) allowing any officer in the Suffolk County K-9 unit to adopt him. Durkin said he will do that if Chief’s former partner doesn’t. If for any reason that doesn’t work out, Alden said Chief would be allowed to retire early at a farm or similar place.
The legislature also passed a bill by Alden barring the county from auctioning off live animals. Legislators expressed concern about the possible fate of animals that might be auctioned off, saying there was no way to know what the new owner would do with them.
Ed Dumas, a spokesman for County Executive Steve Levy, said Levy will sign both bills.
If you enjoyed this good news Subscribe to Good News Blog
If you like this, you'll love Good Animal News:
Share this
To share this simply copy and paste one of the below URL's: