Katrina Survivor Becomes Police Pooch Graduate

This article in the Humane Society of the United States shows how an ordinary bullie can be transformed with some dedicated effort of people into a police pooch graduate. There are more links, and you can watch Hemi and other trainies work.

Katrina Survivor Becomes Police Pooch Graduate

A year ago, Hemi was probably just an ordinary Louisiana pooch looking forward to bones and belly rubs and the occasional game of fetch. But, unbeknownst to Hemi and thousands of other Gulf Coast people and animals, Hurricane Katrina was about to change everything.

Now, this Hurricane Katrina survivor and former resident of the Dixon Correctional Institute in Jackson, La., is about to graduate into law enforcement, thanks to the efforts of pit-friendly people who never gave up on him.

A Long, Strange Trip

Hemi's first stop on his way out of the hurricane-ravaged Big Easy was Lamar-Dixon, the temporary shelter The HSUS helped run and the initial landing point for thousands of rescued animals. Then, in late-September 2005, Hemi was transported to the Dixon Correction Institute, an HSUS-funded prison project site where approximately 160 animals rescued in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina were being housed and cared for by veterinarians and a select group of inmates.

In May, when the prison project was coming to a close, several organizations visited the site to help place approximately 30 pit bulls who had not been claimed by guardians or transported to other shelters. Bad Rap, a non-profit pro-pit bull organization based in Oakland, Calif., helped evaluate the dogs and match them with organizations offering to house them and adopt them out. It was during his evaluation that Hemi started to stand out.

"We got really excited when we started putting Hemi through the paces," said Donna Reynolds, executive director of Bad Rap. "He was a barrel of fun and had the wonderful combination of being highly people focused with extreme toy drive—a true working dog. His drive made him a bit 'too much dog' for your average pet home though, so we crossed our fingers and hoped he had what it takes to be accepted in the LawDogs detection dog training program."

Law Grad

LawDogs, a non-profit organization that locates and prepares promising pit bulls for training with the Washington State Patrol Detection Dog Program, not only accepted Hemi, but successfully prepped him as well. He is set to graduate from the Detection Dog Program this month.

"The dogs that are accepted into the LawDogs program and then graduate from the Detection Dog Program go on to live with their assigned officers as family members, doing bomb and drug detection work by day and enjoying time as well loved pets after hours," said Reynolds. "It's really every pit bull's fantasy life: to work as a true American hero and be a cherished family companion at the same time."

Why train only pit bulls for this work? "The pit bull dog's athletic build and legendary determination to get the job done makes him a perfect candidate for detection work," the LawDogs website states. "We see the LawDogs program as a way to connect outstanding cops with outstanding working dogs many of whom might otherwise be euthanized for lack of a home."

Like many Gulf Coast residents displaced by Hurricane Katrina, Hemi will soon be adjusting to a new home and job in a new place. While Hemi's past remains a mystery, one thing is certain about his future—Hemi's got a lot to look forward to, and that includes bones, belly rubs and the occasional game of fetch.