Fire dogs and their work

We hear many stories about courage and courage, but it so happened that the heroic actions of our smaller brothers are often overlooked. In this article, you’ll learn about two amazing dogs, their work with arson investigators, and how their special abilities have helped not only solve hundreds of cases, but train other dogs to do the same.

Over ten years of service

In more than twenty years of service in the army and state police as a K-9 service instructor, Sargent Rinker’s most memorable companion was a four-legged hero. Police dog stories in the news are unlikely to be more than a few seconds in the news, but Belgian Shepherd Reno, involved in arson investigation, is an example of eleven years of uninterrupted heroism.

Follow the trail without a leash

Sargent Rinker and Renault worked (and lived) side by side 24/7 from 2001 to 2012. During this time, Reno showed his ability to solve literally hundreds of arson cases. Like many other dogs in the military and police forces, Reno was trained to sniff certain objects, which allowed him to find the cause of a fire, giving the state police the ability to successfully solve cases of varying complexity. His ability to work off-leash and communicate skillfully with his handler allowed Reno to investigate arson quickly, safely, and within a reasonable budget set by the police. Without Reno’s hard work and dedication, many cases of serial arson, attempted murder, and even murder could go unsolved.

Sargent Rinker truly considers Renault’s help in clearing the streets of dangerous criminal elements invaluable.

Next generation education

However, Renault’s heroic actions extended far beyond the burned buildings, where he and Rinker had worked many times. The dog was very fond of children, and one of his favorite activities was visiting a school to teach fire safety to children. Whether in the classroom or in a full auditorium, the gorgeous dog has always captured the attention of his audience and made a connection with every child who watched him. He was the hero with whom the children instantly felt contact and began to understand what true heroism is.

According to Sargent Rinker, the constant commitment to keeping people safe and building strong bonds with the community was just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Reno’s illustrious career. In preparation for his retirement, the dog trained his successor Birkle and went on to live as a companion with Sargent Rinker.

Value without limits

Renault died many years ago, but his work continues and the importance of fire dogs is evident throughout the world. Every year, the US Humane Society sends out solicitations for nominations for the Hero Dog award, and for two consecutive years, a Pennsylvania fire dog, like Reno, has entered the race in an arson investigation. A yellow Labrador named Judge is known in his community as a triple threat of crime. The Judge’s guide, fire chief Laubach, has been working with him for the past seven years and taught him how to be an investigator, deterrent and educator.

Together, Laubach and The Judge have given more than 500 presentations to their community and helped investigate more than 275 fires, both in their own and nearby areas.

When it comes to highlighting the heroic stories of police dogs, fire dogs like Judge and Reno are often overlooked. Nevertheless, fire dogs have amazing abilities that sometimes seem impossible to the average pet owner. Thus, the dog Judge is trained to detect sixty-one chemical combinations and can work without interruption. He never stops working to eat from a bowl: he receives all his food day and night from the hands of Chef Laubach. Another statistic that could have made the Judge a contender for the Hero Dog award and that reflects the tangible impact his work has had is that there has been a 52% decrease in arson in the city of Allentown since he arrived at the fire department.

In addition to their daily devotion to their handlers and communities, the Judge and his four-legged colleagues are actively involved in various police dog programs. The Judge is currently helping with a pilot program to work with children with autism. He also continues to promote fire safety in schools, clubs, and major community events.

Reno and The Judge are just two of the many heroic police dogs that work behind the scenes to help keep their communities safe. Without fire dogs, many fire cases would never be solved, and many more lives would be at risk. Luckily, today dog ​​lovers can spread the word about four-legged heroism through social media.

Image sources: Sargent Rinker, Chief Laubach