Hawk, a pooch with a purpose
The Prairie du Chien police department is happy to announce the purchase of a new furry friend as part of its growing K-9 program.
Hawk, the newest member of team, was born June 18 to a litter of four healthy puppies at Blueberry Cottage in Western Wisconsin.
The breeders specialize in labradoodles, a breed which happens to be especially perfect for service and therapy dogs. Statewide, police departments have become interested in purchasing therapy dogs as a way to provide comfort to those who need it most. The inclusion of these dogs has had success in La Crosse, Two Rivers, Tomah, Altoona, across the river at the Grant County Jail, and many other locations.
The number of service dogs grows with every subsequent litter: Hawk’s brother, Chip, has also found a home at the Chippewa Falls police department.
Hawk will be primarily used in circumstances in which a child is a victim of a crime or experiences neglect, but will also attend critical incident stress debriefs and any other circumstances in which additional comfort measures are needed by victims or witnesses of trauma.
The training location has not yet been decided, as Hawk will need to grow a little bit more before he can attend.
For now, Chief Kyle Teynor is working to get him acquainted with the office, community partners, and his own family. As soon as these adjustments are made, Teynor will decide the most appropriate place to send him for his certification. After completing his certification, Hawk will not be required to have additional recertification, unlike the other K-9 dogs, whose primary responsibilities are drug detection and missing person searches.
The costs for Hawk, his care, and his future certification is obtained completely through the generous donations of the community, and those interested in further donations to Hawk and his program can be made to the Prairie du Chien Police Foundation and their address, 228 North Beaumont Road.
