Troutbirder II

Troutbirder II
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Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Dog Heroes


Dog Heroes of September 11th by Nona Kilgore Bauer (Bowtie Press). More than 70 search and recovery dogs are featured in this tribute to canine heroes. I reflected back on this heart-warming book this morning after running across a tragic news report from the neighborhood in St. Paul where I grew up. America's hard working K9 Corps can be found doing SAR (search & rescue), being guide & companion dogs, therapy dogs, tracking dogs, detection dogs, police dogs and myriad other tasks. This morning news report involved a GSD, Boomer, who had been featured recently on the TV show Animal Planet.
Vet med clinic nurses St. Paul K9 back to health

Boomer is expected to make a full recovery and return to work in three to four weeks.
"Severe blood loss, two molars falling out and a fractured upper jaw — all the result of being shot in a scuffle that killed a man police believed was suicidal — landed Boomer in a University of Minnesota hospital Monday night.
Reporters, not friends and family, huddled around the sick bed — a cage — of the 4-year-old German Shepherd Tuesday afternoon at the University of Minnesota Small Animal Hospital. He was alert and smiling, despite bandages on his paws and a small wound on the left side of his face.
His doctors described his condition Tuesday afternoon as stable and in “good spirits,” and they expect Boomer will make a full recovery in three to four weeks.
Dr. Julie Schildt, the critical care specialist monitoring Boomer on Tuesday, said the top concern was the amount of blood Boomer lost. The area where the bullet entered is considered to be “non-critical,” but Boomer will undergo a second surgery Wednesday morning.
Schildt said Boomer’s handler had been to see the dog earlier on Tuesday.
Assistant Clinical Specialist Dr. Greg Anderson , the veterinary surgeon who worked on Boomer, said there’s no way to know how much blood he lost at the scene or in transit, but Boomer received multiple blood transfusions Monday night when he arrived.
Dogs, especially workforce dogs like Boomer, “are very resilient,” Anderson said. “They get through injuries like this a lot better than we would.”
Anderson said he doesn’t think Boomer will have any long-term effects following his recovery.
St. Paul Police spokesman Peter Panos said it’s currently unknown whose bullet injured Boomer, and the three officers involved are on three days paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure.
Panos said, based on evidence collected by the investigators, they believe the incident was a “suicide by police officer” — where the suspect purposely acts in a manner to provoke lethal violence from the officers.
The victim was identified as Robert Jerome Jeske, 34, of St. Paul. According to a release from the St. Paul police, officers responded to a 911 call around 6 p.m. Monday. Panos said the officers didn’t fire on Jeske until he pointed a handgun at them."
— Emma L. Carew is a senior staff reporter for the Minnesota Daily




Officer Murphy and BoomerOfficer Patrick Murphy's partner Boomer is a black and tan colored German Shepherd dog. Boomer was born in Holland and was bought with donations given to the St. Paul Police Canine Foundation. Boomer is a patrol dog trained to use his nose to find people and evidence. When he is not working he comes home with Officer Murphy and lives at his house. When at home, Boomer likes to run and play with his favourite toy, a Kong.
BTW Trouterbirder II posted a "Dogs Prayer" at

13 comments:

  1. What a story! Thank you so much for sharing. I'm so glad Boomer is going to be okay. Thanks so much for stopping by The Charlie Project and leaving such a kind comment. So nice to "meet" you. :)

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  2. I'm glad the story has a happy ending. I wonder why they felt it was necessary to go to Holland for a dog?

    Years ago I bought a GSD from a police officer in Albertsville, AL. The dog was from a litter bred in Germany and the mother imported to the US. The dog had an aggression quota of 110%.
    Marnie

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  3. Thanks for sharing a great story!

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  4. This was an interesting post and I am glad to hear Boomer is going to be ok..
    These are hard working dogs and as all dogs have a heart of gold toward their owners..
    My sister does search and rescue with her shepherds and I know how much time and effort she and her dogs put in...just to train..let alone the time and energy it takes to search.

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  5. Interesting post. I'll keep hoping Boomer makes a full recovery. What a dog!

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  6. Great read, and it reaffirms those of us who depend upon and love our companion dogs. Thank you.

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  7. Cool! The post reminded me of another Boomer that was famous in Southern Illinois:

    http://www.roadsideamerica.com/pet/boom.html

    They even named a dorm after him!

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  8. I had not heard about this. I am so glad to here that Boomer will be okay. Poor thing. I am glad they caught the creep!

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  9. I'm so happy to hear Boomer made it! I have such great admiration and love for service dogs!

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  10. What a wonderful post Troutbirder with a soon to be happier ending when he is fully recovered. We take so much for granted sometimes like these wonderful dogs. Thank goodness there are people out there who really care for our canine friends.

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  11. Wonderful story, wonderful dog.

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  12. Great post, Troutbirder, but that's pretty normal for here. The book sounds amazing and I'll have to add it to my list (which is ever growing).

    The saddest 9-11 K-9 story I remember was about the Port Authority K-9 officer who left his dog in the basement of the towers. He told his partner that he would be safer there and that he'd be back for him. Of course, he never made it back but when they brought the dog's body out, the rescue workers gave him the same honors they'd given every hero they recovered - all work at the site stopped and an honor guard was formed to flank the body as it was removed.

    I'm thankful Boomer received such good care and will be okay.

    cjh

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  13. Great story! I wonder if any of the SRD's from 9-11 are suffering lung problems and other ailments like their human counterparts. German Shepards are just terrific dogs in general...of course YOU know that! :)

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