The Creative World of Kathleen: Meet K9 Petra!

This was K9 Petra,

and

here is her story,

direct from her handler (daddy).

Petra came to the Colorado Springs Police Department with the hopes of being a patrol/narcotics canine officer. She had a handler who did not see Petra's drive to be sufficient as a patrol/narcotics canine. At times, a handler and canine do not have the bond to be a great team, therefore Petra was given to another handler within our department, who also handles another canine. Petra started to blossom with this handler, and became a canine that had a lot of potential. She did not have all of the tools that they were looking for to have her do patrol work, but the handler and department saw she had a high drive to hunt. Therefore, she came to me to be trained and worked as a single purpose explosives detection dog. At the time, I was a first time canine handler, and did not know what to expect. In the canine profession we call this " a green handler". I was very green! They told me I needed to bond with Petra, by taking her home, and she would become part of my family. I was still unsure, but within a couple of days I instantly felt the bond we had and she showed such great caring and affection for me and my family. We bonded so much that she became very protective of me, as well as my family! Then we began the training for Petra to be an explosives detection canine. She blossomed so well, she always had her nose to the ground and was always looking for the explosive odor. She was great, she had found her niche within the department and herself. She really made me look good as a brand new handler! I knew that we had created such a bond and felt that she basically stole my heart. I have had dogs as our house pets before, but with a police canine partner, it was different. I spent most of my day with her, and we would have done anything for each other. I finally understood the bond that officers have with their canine partners! At home, Petra bonded fast with my family. She enjoyed playing with my home personal dog, and she became very attached to my wife and two sons. On our days off, we played ball in the back yard, and did a lot of walks. She had her days off, and that is when I wanted her to relax and be a pet and be home. Of course on the work days, when I put on my black uniform and she saw me walking to the police cruiser, she would bark, spin around, jump, and was ready to go to work. I think she always had the look of where are you going without me?Unfortunately, I was only Petra’s handler for a couple of months, but it seemed so much longer, we were beginning to gel and become a great working team. Petra inspired me to be a better person, and taught me so many new skills as a police officer, and as a canine handler! When I lost Petra, I did not know if I was ever going to work another canine again, and if I did, how soon would it be before I was emotionally ready. Petra was a jewel, and impacted me so much that I felt she was my only partner I was ever supposed to be with. I took my time to grieve, and played it out in my head that Petra would want me to take on another canine partner, and continue the canine explosives detection program. The canine explosives program, for our department, was started by my sergeant and myself. We are both bomb technicians who saw the need for explosives canines after the Boston Marathon incident. We wanted to start the program and see it grow. When Petra passed away, we put the program in a time out, but realized after some time that we needed to continue this program and make it succeed with the other explosive detecting canine Belka, and my newest canine partner Britta. Britta was Petra’s original birth name before it was changed by her first canine handler. I wanted to pay respect to Petra by giving my new canine partner her original name! Petra would want me and my sergeant to see this canine explosives program grow and succeeded to the end, and that is what we are doing.

I have been in law enforcement for approximately 15 years and have done a lot, and have seen a lot in my career. I enjoy my job and still look forward to coming to work every day; It has been a great 15 years. I can say the best part of my 15 years, is working with a canine, and mostly meeting and working with my girl Petra. I am very glad I was her last handler, and DAD!

Shawn