Missing PSD

Bart is back with handler —
By Charles Sheehan
Tribune staff reporter
Published February 21, 2006, 8:02 PM CST

Bart, a Chicago police Canine Unit dog that went missing from his handler's Southwest Side home on Monday, was found today and reunited with the handler.

The German shepherd and his handler, police Officer David Dorken, were reunited around 4:30 p.m. at 87th Street and Roberts Road in the southwest suburb of Hickory Hills after police received a call from someone who found the found dog, a Chicago police news release stated.

That person told police he saw a picture of Bart in the newspaper today and called the Canine Unit to see if the dog he found was, indeed, the one missing. He was able to give an exact description of Bart to Dorken, who then immediately went to pick him up.

The man said he coaxed Bart into his van to make sure the dog was not harmed.

The Anti-Cruelty Society today put up a $1,000, no-questions-asked reward for Bart, a two-year police force veteran, after he was last seen about 11 a.m. Monday in Dorken's yard in the Ashburn neighborhood. The dog is believed to have gotten out when a person doing work on the home left a gate open.

About that time, the owner of a nearby gas station insists he saw Bart being loaded into a green minivan by a man and a woman.

"They came in and asked for a rope, and then the woman took off a scarf and tied it around the dog's neck," said Khalid Haleem, who runs Certified Auto Repair. "You don't see German shepherds like this running around the neighborhood too much. This was definitely the same dog."

Haleem's business is around the corner from Dorken's home. Dorken, a 20-year veteran of the police force, keeps the dog at home when not on duty.

The gas station owner said the couple told him they were worried that the dog was going to be hit by a car on Pulaski Road.

"I asked her what she was going to do, if she was going to keep it," Haleem said. "She told me she's got four dogs already, and they said they were bringing it to a pound."

The dog was wearing a metal choker similar to the one described by police as being worn by Bart when the dog went missing, Haleem said.

The Anti-Cruelty Society does not put up rewards for all dogs, said Mike Roach, the director of field services and investigations for the Anti-Cruelty Society and a former Chicago police head dog trainer.

"This is kind of a special situation," Roach said, explaining the reward offer. "This is a very special police K-9 dog."

When Bart was missing, his description has been repeated on police radio across the city: Black fur, white on the chest and tan paws. Police called the 4-year-old dog affectionate, but warned K-9 unit members like Bart are trained to be suspicious of new people.

I'll always have good things to say about the Chicago Anti-Cruelty Society (notwithstanding its hippyish name). I used to go down there and walk/groom dogs because they had a good policy on screening potential adopters. My parents adopted a rott from them, and the screening process was tough (background check with vet from previous dogs, interview, etc.).

I've turned dogs in there myself in the past, and they are a good bunch of folks. Glad to hear the dog was returned.

All I Have to say is. That would be one hard phone call to make to my chief. Hey chief, uh uh I kind of lost the police departments dog. LOL. Im glad he was found and returned, I would be sick if my K-9 got away

http://www.vonhunterkennels.com

Ed's comment in this post:

This officer should get days off without pay for this.