Jails in Washington are getting some four-legged assist rooting out fentanyl and different doubtlessly lethal medication. Five K9 groups not too long ago graduated from a Washington State Department of Corrections (DOC) program the place they realized to smell out medication.
Three of the dogs are licensed to detect fentanyl.
“This is a small but mighty part of a very, very large effort to combat fentanyl,” DOC Deputy Secretary Sean Murphy mentioned.
In addition, corrections amenities have access to Narcan, which may reverse opioid overdoses, scanners to detect contraband and expanded therapy for inmates who’ve substance use problems.
The DOC mentioned medication, behind bars, have all the time been an issue, however fentanyl — with its addictiveness and hazard — is a specific concern.
“Most jails and prisons are reporting overdoses biweekly or weekly,” K9 Program Manager Terry Hartman mentioned.
His dogs, which will probably be deployed across the state, will probably be working to detect medication earlier than they’ll do hurt.
His recent K9 graduates — Harley, Timber, Luka, Raiden and Rozzo — are a decided group.
Washington K9s are chosen by ‘single-mindedness’
They weren’t essentially chosen due to their breed however their single-mindedness, Hartman defined.
“It’s the dog who won’t give you the ball back. It’s the dog who won’t stop looking for the ball when you throw it, the really obsessive type behavior,” he mentioned.
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Hartman mentioned these sorts of dogs typically find yourself in shelters.
“They don’t make particularly good pets at that point,” he defined.
However, “Once they get through the training and they get a job and we do things with them, then they usually go on to have a really healthy normal life,” he continued.
Hartman mentioned the dogs not solely work with their human companions however go home and stay with them and their households. They are rescued dogs who will now work to rescue folks from the ravages of medication.
Heather Bosch is an award-winning anchor and reporter on KIRO Newsradio. You can learn extra of her tales right here. Follow Heather on X, formerly known as Twitteror electronic mail her right here.
