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Sheriff's Narcotics Dog Dies Of Old Age
URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1100/a13.htmlNewshawk: http://www.november.org
Pubdate: Tue, 12 Jul 2005 SHERIFF'S NARCOTICS DOG DIES OF OLD AGE
Source: Palm Beach Post, The (FL)
Copyright: 2005 The Palm Beach Post
Contact:
letters@pbpost.com
Website: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/333
Author: Bill Douthat, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
K-9 Rusty, an adorable sandy-haired terrier who worked as a Palm Beach County
sheriff's narcotics dog for 13 years, died of old age Monday.
Rusty, 19, had retired from his badge-carrying duties in January 2003, said his
owner, sheriff's deputy Tom McElroy.
"He's just an awesome dog," McElroy said Monday. "Everybody
loved him and he was respected by all the other K-9s."
McElroy took him in as a pet after Rusty retired from his years of sniffing out
narcotics at airports, seaports and aboard the sheriff's ocean-going power
boats.
McElroy, a marine unit deputy, was alone with Rusty in 1998 when they chased a
boat loaded with marijuana 8 miles offshore. With Rusty at his side,
McElroy drew his.45-caliber pistol and ordered the suspected smugglers to
surrender.
Bouncing around the boat during drug patrols took a toll on Rusty's hips,
McElroy said.
When Rusty retired, McElroy purchased Rusty from the sheriff's office and
decided not to pick a replacement work dog.
The sheriff's office announced Rusty's passing in a agency-wide e-mail on
Monday, saying the terrier was a "loyal partner" to McElroy and
"faithfully served" the sheriff's office.
The sheriff's office put Rusty into service in 1989 after rescuing him from the
dog pound. He was one of the longest serving K-9s and frequently was
enlisted by federal agents for narcotics detection duties.
"He's been on television and in the papers a lot," McElroy said.
"Everybody remembers him when they see him."
