K9 Brunie

Meet K9 Brunie

K9 Brunie was the partner of Jason Brungardt.  Brunie died in the line of duty, such a brave hero!

Officer Brungardt gave me this information on his partner.

Brunie 01-10-2011 to 09-28-1014, Over 15 Felony Apprehensions, 100 plus Bomb sweep/searches.  Brunie was not afraid to make the "call" when needed. Always ready.  Brunie saved many lives in his short time here, including mine and the citizens of the community, especially on August 1st 2013, when he took down the armed carjacking suspect on live TV that day.  As many don't see in the video, the suspect pulled a gun from his waist band and started to point it at us, at that time Brunie did his job and saved my life, the suspects life and others that day.  He was awarded the Patrol Case of the year for 2013 through the NPCA, National Police Canine Association.  Brunie was special to all of us, my wife, kids, family, co-workers.  In the end he paid the ultimate sacrifice, his life, doing his job, on 09-21-2014 he flushed a felony suspect out of the woods that was later arrested on a residence check.  Some where along the search he came into contact with something that effected his neurological system, he became very ill and would not eat or drink.  Brunie went from 76lbs. to 56lbs. in 8 days.  He was diagnosed with Dysautonomia, no cure, just grave.  The decision was made to let Brunie go.  Brunie did his job and did it well.  He served the citizens of KCMO well.  Another moment of good times was when the All Star Event of MLB was here in KC.  We had the detail of sweeping the infield and Brunie  relieved himself just passed Home Plate, priceless.  May he rest in peace EOW 09282014 K9 Brunie!

Brunie was a dog which was donated to the Kansas City Police Department by the Pittsburg Steeler football player Ben Rothlisberger.  

Jason has a new partner named Rico.  Rico was also a donated dog!  He was donated by Deanna DePaco.  (She's my hero.) 

Here is a photo of Brunie but not the one he wanted me to do the portrait from!

So, Yvonne used it to create the card...that way, both photos are used!

No, instead he wants this one!  

Most artists would shrivel up at the thought of painting it, because teeth aren't easy to do.  But I'm welcoming the challenge.  

Here is the initial drawing.

MY WHAT BIG TEETH YOU HAVE! Haha!

Normally I start with the eyes, but since there are none in this portrait, I'm forced to start with the nose and mouth.

I'm already seeing how I will have to put so much attention into that mouth!

One good ear deserves another!

(Although they're not done yet.)

I've also decided to give Brunie a background and here I was testing the colors.

I started to work on his head, and well, as I look at the eyes, I realize, I have to really make them look like they are shut tight!  Another challenge I've never had before, but I'm happy for these challenges, it keeps me fresh and continuously learning.

I will say Officer Jason was the FIRST officer who had the timing right of contacting me as I'm sending out the emails of what I'm working on and his enthusiasm kept me going.  He now also wants me to create his boxer.  

I have a long way to go on this portrait, a LONG way.  But he's coming along.

Here is more info on Brunie.

Officer Jason Brungardt will no longer patrol with his K-9 partner, Brunie.

On Sunday a veterinarian put down Brunie, a Belgian Malinois who had served with the Kansas City police since 2012.

Brunie had dysautonomia, which destroys the autonomic nervous system in dogs. Officers remain uncertain how Brunie contracted the disease. But they think he ingested something toxic on a recent search for a person in Belton. 

The dog’s death left Brungardt emotional Tuesday while discussing Brunie’s passing.

“The bond between officers and K-9 partners is extremely overwhelming,” said Brungardt. “You get to take your buddy home every day. It is the best job on the department.”

On Sept. 20, Brunie and Brungardt responded to a call from Belton police for help tracking someone who fled after a traffic stop. At some point in a 45-minute search, the person left the wooded area where police were looking for him. Officers arrested him later in Grandview.

“Brunie did his job,” Brungardt said. “He flushed the suspect out.”

But troubling symptoms appeared in Brunie the next day. He was dehydrated and lethargic, and had lost his appetite. 

“Normally, Brunie was super high-energy,” Brungardt said, “76 pounds of pure enjoyment.”

But over the course of the following week, Brunie’s weight dropped from 76 to 59 pounds. One visit to a veterinarian’s office soon was followed by two emergency visits. Brungardt stayed with Brunie over one 10-hour session while the dog received fluids intravenously.

“But there was no cure or fix,” he said. “The decision was made to let Brunie go.”

Brunie was a dual-purpose dog who deployed on patrol calls and was also trained to detect explosives. He was gentle when Brungardt took him home to his family, and to his own two dogs.

“But when the switch came on,” Brungardt said, “Brunie was ready to find bad guys.”

That was especially so on Aug. 1, 2013, when he responded to a carjacking. 

During a pursuit, the carjacker turned off Interstate 435 at the Winner Road exit. He fled the car and ran across a field carrying a gun. 

Among the officers pursuing him was Brungardt, who then deployed Brunie.

According to a citation from the National Police Canine Association, Brungardt yelled to the carjacker that he would release a police canine if he did not surrender. The carjacker “then drew a black handgun from the front of his waistband, at which time Officer Brungardt released canine ‘Brunie.’”

Brunie held onto the carjacker’s left hand with his mouth, according to the citation, and “took him to the ground, causing him to drop the gun.” Other officers soon took control of the man. 

Brunie received the canine association’s 2013 Patrol Case of the Year award.

“He saved my life,” Brungardt said Tuesday.

Brunie lived 3 years and 8 months. Such dogs can cost a police department about $12,000.

“But for me he was priceless,’ Brungardt said, “and in the end he made the ultimate sacrifice. He was a public servant, and the public deserves to know about him.”