Georgia Non-Profit Gives Shelter Dogs a Second Chance as Police K9s

Britt
by Britt

In a heartwarming story of second chances, a non-profit organization in Georgia is transforming the lives of shelter dogs by training them for a new purpose in life. These remarkable pups are breaking the stereotypes of “damaged” shelter dogs by being trained to serve as police K9s.


Co-founders Samantha Walsh and Matt Rook are both passionate dog lovers. Recognizing that incredible dogs were being abandoned by the people who were supposed to love them, many never living out their final days before being euthanized for no fault of their own across the country, they wanted to find a solution.


Rook previously served as the police chief in Chattahoochee Hills. During his time there, he faced a tight budget that didn’t allow him to fund a K9 unit in the area.


Many people don’t realize how pricey it is to incorporate a K9 unit with a police force. A single purebred working dog, bred to serve in a law enforcement capacity, can cost more than $25,000. For many smaller towns and communities, this restricts their ability to incorporate the benefits of a K9 unit protecting their neighborhoods.


However, Rook and Walsh had another idea…


Drawing on their experience with law enforcement and working with dogs, they proposed the idea that a healthy rescue dog could be adopted and trained to do the same work at a much lower cost to law enforcement agencies. With this in mind, they created a non-profit arm of their business, Hurricane Creek K9.

Since they started, the pair have traveled all over their state and across the country to find shelter dogs that they believe will be a good fit for the program. The dogs are then rigorously trained for a year, teaching them to perform essential roles in law enforcement, like patrolling their neighborhoods and identifying narcotics.


They have successfully placed 26 dogs with police departments in Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina.


“You have the cost savings benefit for the taxpayers, of course,” Rook explains. “But then you have a huge way to reach out to your community because most of your community members have rescue dogs.”


Of course, not every dog will be a good fit for the law enforcement life. Just as not every dog bred to serve as a working dog successfully completes the training program, neither do all of the rescue dogs that the couple pulls. But don’t worry – for those who fall short of completing the program, this isn’t the end of their story.


In addition to the dogs that have been placed in law enforcement, another 12 dogs were pulled by the couple, completed a portion of the program, were identified as incompatible for the K9 role, and have since been placed in loving homes. Every dog they pull is given the happy ending they deserve!


With the success of their organization, Walsh and Rook are rewriting the rules of law enforcement K9s. Could this be the future of working dogs? Only time will tell, but we’re hopeful.


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Britt
Britt

Britt Kascjak is a proud pet mom, sharing her heart (and her home) with her “pack” which includes her husband John, their 2 dogs – Lucifer and Willow – and their 2 cats – Pippen and Jinx. She has been active in the animal rescue community for over 15 years, volunteering, fostering and advocating for organizations across Canada and the US. In her free time, she enjoys traveling around the country camping, hiking, and canoeing with her pets.

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