The 18-month-old Black Lab is the second program
Salem, Oregon (KTVZ) – At first glance, Scout may look like your typical playful puppy, but this 18-month-old black Lab has developed a nose for crime. Meet the newest member of the Bend-based Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Conservation K-9 team and his human partner.
Scout, along with his handler trooper Shay Ross, will follow in the footsteps of Oregon’s first anti-poaching team, consisting of K-9 Buck and senior trooper Josh Walcott.
The OSP Fish & Wildlife Division, the Oregon Fish & Wildlife Stop Poshing Campaign, and the Oregon Wildlife Foundation held a joint press conference Tuesday at ODFW headquarters in Salem to announce the expansion of the OSP Fish & Wildlife Conservation K-9 team. Announced.
“Adding another K-9 team to our wildlife detection team provides our department with another asset to help address poaching issues and raise awareness across the state,” said OSP. said Casey Thomas, Captain of the Fish and Wildlife Division at .
“Senior Trooper Walcott and K-9 Buck have done a fantastic job getting this program started. We would like to thank everyone involved in establishing, maintaining and supporting OSP’s Conservation K9 program,” continues Thomas. “This program would not have been possible without them and these strong partnerships.”
Speakers at the event included Senior Trooper Walcott, Trooper Ross, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Stop Poshing Campaign Coordinator Yvonne Shaw, and Tim Gress, Executive Director of the Oregon Wildlife Foundation. The presentation was followed by a demonstration by Buck and Senior Police Officer Walcott.
“Oregon’s fish, wildlife and other natural resources belong to all of us,” said Yvonne Shaw, Stop Poaching Campaign Coordinator for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
“Our partnership with the Oregon Wildlife Foundation and the OSP F&W Conservation K9 program will help conserve these natural resources for current and future generations. We recognize the value of these dogs as they provide a unique connection to the communities they serve,” continues Shaw.
OWF, in partnership with the OSP Fish & Wildlife Division, launched Oregon’s first Wildlife K-9 team in 2019. K-9 Buck and his senior trooper Wolcott have conducted numerous poaching investigations and logged hundreds of hours in the field since the program’s inception. His current team has been operating statewide for the past two and a half years, although he is stationed at OSP’s Springfield Area Command.
Due to the effectiveness of the K-9 program, OSP leadership recently approved additional teams (Scouts and Trooper Ross) for the OSP Regional Command in Bend. As with the original team, OWF donors generously agreed to cover the cost of this program expansion. Ongoing dog costs, primarily veterinary care, are covered by public donations to OWF.
“The Oregon Wildlife Foundation is pleased to support the OSP Fish & Wildlife Conservation K-9 program and its partnership with the Oregon State Police Fish & Wildlife Division. We are very grateful to our generous donors for stepping up again to help bring the
The Oregon Wildlife Foundation is accepting public donations to the OSP Fish & Wildlife Conservation K-9 Fund to offset costs associated with canine members of the team. Donations to the fund help cover the costs of veterinary care, training equipment, and related supplies. For support and more information about the OSP Fish & Wildlife Conservation K-9 Program, please visit www.myowf.org/k9team.
