Woman helps pay for surgery to save state's wildlife dog
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MILL CREEK, Wash. -- Whenever there's a problem bear or a a cougar that could be a threat to the public, you can bet wildlife officers will show up with a service dog.
The Karelian bear dogs have become a critical part of wildlife management, but the program almost went bankrupt. The program relies solely on donations; it does not take a penny of taxpayer money.
One of the newest dogs, Indy, needed a life-saving surgery over the summer.
"When (the veterinarian) cut him open, there was a suction cup in the small intestine and a string from a baseball that my kids have at home that got torn to pieces. And that was in there, just working its way back and forth," said Indy's handler, Officer Dave Jones.
The surgery cost a whopping $13,000. It saved Indy's life, but potentially at the cost of the entire program.
"We are and continue to be about one catastrophe away from being bankrupt," said Captain Bill Hebner of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
On Tuesday the team gathered to thank an Issaquah business owner who helped pay the big bill. Denise Stringfellow's Riverdog Canine Coaching raised more than $3,000.
"You guys are doing it right," she told the team. "And we're proud of all the work you do in our community and very grateful."
That work includes using their powerful sense of smell to track hidden evidence in a recent elk poaching case. Dogs Mishka and Spencer sniffed out the hidden carcasses of two elk, helping officers make arrests.
And the fearless dogs save lives. They'll put themselves in harm's way to protect their human handlers.
By teaching wild animals to stay away from people, officers can release a problem bear instead of euthanize it.
"It would be a huge loss to the state," said Hebner. "And frankly, we wouldn't be as effective as we are now, and more bear and cougar would have to be lethally removed instead of released elsewhere to live their lives in the wild."
You can't put a price on that.
"They're in our backyard getting out bear and cougar," said Stringfellow. "And even on days when they don't, they're educating the public about wildlife. They're in our backyards. We should help them."
To learn more about the KBD program, visit the Karelian bear dog program's website.
You can send a donation to:
WDFW KBD Fund
Attn: Captain Bill Hebner
16018 Mill Creek Blvd.
Mill Creek, WA 98012
For more information on Indy's surgery, visit Animal Surgery Clinic of Seattle's website.
The Karelian bear dogs have become a critical part of wildlife management, but the program almost went bankrupt. The program relies solely on donations; it does not take a penny of taxpayer money.
One of the newest dogs, Indy, needed a life-saving surgery over the summer.
"When (the veterinarian) cut him open, there was a suction cup in the small intestine and a string from a baseball that my kids have at home that got torn to pieces. And that was in there, just working its way back and forth," said Indy's handler, Officer Dave Jones.
The surgery cost a whopping $13,000. It saved Indy's life, but potentially at the cost of the entire program.
"We are and continue to be about one catastrophe away from being bankrupt," said Captain Bill Hebner of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
On Tuesday the team gathered to thank an Issaquah business owner who helped pay the big bill. Denise Stringfellow's Riverdog Canine Coaching raised more than $3,000.
"You guys are doing it right," she told the team. "And we're proud of all the work you do in our community and very grateful."
That work includes using their powerful sense of smell to track hidden evidence in a recent elk poaching case. Dogs Mishka and Spencer sniffed out the hidden carcasses of two elk, helping officers make arrests.
And the fearless dogs save lives. They'll put themselves in harm's way to protect their human handlers.
By teaching wild animals to stay away from people, officers can release a problem bear instead of euthanize it.
"It would be a huge loss to the state," said Hebner. "And frankly, we wouldn't be as effective as we are now, and more bear and cougar would have to be lethally removed instead of released elsewhere to live their lives in the wild."
You can't put a price on that.
"They're in our backyard getting out bear and cougar," said Stringfellow. "And even on days when they don't, they're educating the public about wildlife. They're in our backyards. We should help them."
To learn more about the KBD program, visit the Karelian bear dog program's website.
You can send a donation to:
WDFW KBD Fund
Attn: Captain Bill Hebner
16018 Mill Creek Blvd.
Mill Creek, WA 98012
For more information on Indy's surgery, visit Animal Surgery Clinic of Seattle's website.
As a owner of a service dog I pay about $50 a month for pet insurance that covers this and anything else that could happen to my $25,000 dog. Someone should prepay policies a few years in advance for these dogs.
Just helping out, ya'll deserve a big hug. I know finances and all that, but not making an animal suffer, priceless. <hugs>
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could these dogs be used by ranchers to protect their herds from wolves ? most interesting program that deserves support ! and enough so that it can grow ...
 @sstt ranchers don't need bear dogs, they need dogs and they refuse to get them. Any one of these dogs will protect their cattle and they only need a few http://www.lgd.org/   This has been used in the middle east with goats. Works well. american ranchers simply want to shoot wolves.
and perhaps the handler should keep a better watch on things left lying around that this doggie likes to chew on.... ? i had a dog that liked to chew on 'stuff' and it was challenging to stay one step ahead of her but doggie proofing the house and yard was certainly better than major surgery.
 @justme but sometimes these things happen and thank goodness for the community helping
Hey Fish and Wildlife: Â You're one catastrophe away from bankruptcy? Newsflash: If you hadn't shot the wolves, you would have the $ to cover this!
 @sundancer Yea, I don't know why they didn't relocate the dogs to other National Forests.Â
 @PrairieDawn Good one! Bottom line though is  I am thrilled to know that a kind soul donated the money and saved this precious dog.