County moves ahead with plans to purchase new K-9
County will retire current K-9 due to health issues
Taylor County’s next K-9 unit will have some big paws to fill when current K-9 Perces retires this year.
On Friday, members of the county’s law enforcement committee approved purchase of a new K-9 unit at a cost of $15,000 from Jessiffany Canine Services of Iron Ridge. The price includes the dog, five weeks of training for the K-9 officer to work with the dog as well as lodging during the training.
According to sheriff Larry Woebbeking, Perces is currently 10 years old and is beginning to have a number of medical problems leading to expensive veterinarian bills. Perces is a Belgian Malinois a breed that typically has a lifespan of 14 to 16 years. After his retirement from the sheriff’s department Perces will live out the remainder of his years with K-9 Officer Deputy Eric Peterson.
Woebbeking said the county has gotten its value out of Perces. The dog was originally partnered with then-deputy Chad Liske who has since become the Medford police chief. Woebbeking explained that transferring human partners for K-9s is never a sure thing, but that it worked for the county.
Woebbeking said the K-9 is used heavily for contraband searches in buildings and vehicles. The dog is used in the schools to do drug sweeps and has even been invited in by landlords to search apartments after residents have moved out. Woebbeking noted that in a few cases they have discovered drugs that had been hidden.
The dog also serves as a back-up for Deputy Peterson. Peterson has the ability to remotely open the K-9 squad vehicle if he is in distress with Perces trained to respond.
According to Woebbeking, the plan is to acquire another Belgian Malinois due to the success the county has had with that breed. He said this will be the fourth dog the county has had on the force. He explained that the K-9s are useful from a public relations standpoint of giving people an opportunity to interact and learn about the animal and about the work of law enforcement.
