People from law enforcement or the military retire with benefits, but what happens to their four-legged colleagues?
Locally, the nonprofit Cape Cod & Islands Police K-9 Relief Fund pays veterinarian bills for a baker’s dozen of dogs who have retired and, mostly, are living with their human handlers. Joe Ambrosini, a K-9 officer with the Barnstable County Sheriff’s Department for a dozen years, founded the relief fund in 2003.
Statewide, law enforcement and military dogs diagnosed with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) can live out their lives at the K9 PTSD Research Center in Seekonk. Founder James LaMonte and volunteers use behavioral therapy to ease the anxiety of dogs who have been shot, stabbed, injured in explosions, car accidents or other on-the-job encounters.
“We make sure they don’t encounter triggers that set them off,” said LaMonte, noting that the sound of gunshots and the sight of uniforms are triggers for many of the dogs (10 right now) at the canine retirement center founded in 2019.
Ambrosini and LaMonte are among dozens of people working to pass a Massachusetts state law, proposed by former Yarmouth Deputy Police Chief and current State Rep. Steven Xiarhos in 2023 and dubbed Dakota’s Law. It would establish a state fund to pay for medical treatment for retired law enforcement dogs; to increase the charge from a misdemeanor to a felony if someone hurts a police dog; and to provide a bill of rights for working K9s.
“Euthanasia is not going to be the first option for a dog who can no longer work,” LaMonte said.
For now, groups like the Cape Cod & Islands Police K-9 Relief Fund and the K9 PTSD Center depend on donations.
A fundraiser is being held at 6:30 p.m. May 16 in the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School auditorium to support the two organizations. The event includes a screening of “Healing Dakota,” the story of LaMonte’s work with Dakota, a police dog injured while working on apprehending the Boston Marathon bombers in 2013.
After the movie, Cat Wilson will emcee a panel including Ambrosini, LaMonte, Xiarhos, Sgt.Troy Perry, Patrick Martin, Nick Ambrosini with K-9 Gauge, and Peter McClelland. Tickets, at $25, are available at the door or online.
On May 18, the first K-9 Sgt. Sean Gannon K-9 Handler of the Year Award will be presented to K-9 Officer David Aguiar of the Rehoboth Police Department, during a 10:30 a.m. ceremony at Skipper’s Chowder House in South Yarmouth. The award is given in honor of Gannon, a Yarmouth police officer who was shot and killed in 2018 while serving a warrant. Gannon’s K-9 partner, Nero, was injured but survived, with his experience being the catalyst for Nero’s Law, which allows ambulances to transport K-9 officers to the nearest emergency help center.
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