top of page
Our Dogs In Need

Check out some of the dogs that need your help!

Rock

Gang member punches Sandy Springs K9 with brass knuckles (story from AJC)

One of three gang members arrested Monday punched a Sandy Springs police K9 Rock with a set of spiked brass knuckles, police said.

Jonathan Wimbs, 25, of Atlanta, Aron Davis, 24, of Lithonia, and a 14-year-old boy were arrested after allegedly breaking into a car outside a home in the 5400 block of Chemin De Vie in Sandy Springs.

Sandy Springs police spokeswoman Sgt. Forrest Bohannon said the two adults are Rollin 60 Crips gang members. She wouldn’t comment about the 14-year-old.

Broken promises: How workers became caught in the kafala system ADVERTISER CONTENT: AWARE Broken promises: How workers became caught in the kafala system
The resident said he and his wife returned home from out of town early Monday morning and went to bed with a window open, according to a police report. He heard noises and eventually went to investigate, finding the interior car light in his work truck on. He told police he hadn’t driven the car all weekend.

Two men got out of his car when he yelled at them and took off into the woods behind the house, according to the report. Nothing of value was reported missing from the truck, but one of the suspects dropped a handgun that police determined had been stolen out of DeKalb County.

Sandy Springs K9 Unit officer James Reynnells and K9 Django tracked Wimbs to a wooded area outside the Fountain Oaks Shopping Center on Roswell Road. The trail went cold, but because the officers knew the direction Wimbs traveled, Officer Michael DeWald was able to set up a perimeter and release his dog, Rock, to search for the scent, DeWald said.

Rock sniffed out the subject, who was hiding in a drainage system ditch that dropped about eight feet down, DeWald said.

When Rock bit into Wimbs’ left arm, Wimbs pulled a set of spiked brass knuckles and punched Rock about six times.

Though the dog let go after being punched repeatedly, Rock chased Wimbs, biting his leg to bring him down to the ground where DeWald arrested him.

“Our dogs have a high fight drive,” DeWald said. “The dogs meet the physical prowess of their rivals as a first line of defense.”

That “fight drive” is genetic, DeWald said, which is why Sandy Springs police only get their dogs from trainer Pam Rogers at Kasseburg Canine Training Center in Alabama.

Rock had three puncture wounds above his eye and needed four stitches, DeWald said. His eye socket was swollen and Rock lost a lot of blood from his nose, but the K9 officer returned to work Tuesday on limited duty, basically hanging out in the truck and resting up, DeWald said.

“I couldn’t have been more proud of my dog,” DeWald said. “He did exactly what he was supposed to do, as he was trained and he didn’t hesitate one second.”

Rock, a 10-year-old Belgian Malinois, and DeWald have been partners since 2009.

“This dog is amazing,” DeWald said. “I love this dog.”

DeWald said this is the second violent assault on police dogs in a few weeks. Earlier in April, a Doraville K9 dog was stabbed as he helped capture a fugitive in a Dunwoody subdivision. DeWald certified that dog, K9 Tryko, on April 1, just days before the attack, he said.

Wimbs was booked into Fulton County Jail on several charges, including destroying or causing serious or debilitating injury to a police dog, entering automobile with intent to commit theft, possession of a firearm and a charge related to being associated with a criminal street gang.

Zoom

K-9 Bomb Dog Zoom a decorated war hero with the United States Marines. Served 2 tours in Afghanistan and 1 tour in Iraq. Saved countless Marines lives and discovered thousands and thousands of dollars worth of explosives form the Taliban while on his deployments.

Retired from the Marines at 6 years old and was donated to the Fulton County Sheriffs Office. Responded to many Bomb threats and suspicious packages in Atlanta and surrounding counties during his 4 years with the Sheriffs's office. He was responsible for pre game sweeps for the Braves, Hawks and Falcons as well as other high profile events in Atlanta.

Zoom won several Detection contest and awards while with the Sheriffs's office including the most sought after and prestigious Man Tracker award referred to as Top Dog in 2014.  In fact it's the first time in the history of the annual man tracker competition that a Bomb dog won the Detection Trophy.

Zoom turned 10 in September 2016 and retired from duty after over 8 years of faithful and unwavering service. He is at his last handlers home enjoying retirement and laying around on his nice comfy pillow by the fireplace. He finally gets to be a regular dog eating table scraps, treats and going to dog parks all of which he couldn't do before.

Bruno

This is Bruno’s first Christmas as a retired police officer. He enjoys coming inside and visiting with the family, but never for too long, because he still has to patrol the yard from unwanted squirrels, stray cats, any other varmint that foolishly wanders into Bruno’s work space. Like clockwork, he runs to all four corners of the yard and lets out a few barks giving warning to all that would dare to think of trespassing.

 

He’s picked up a new hobby digging holes in my yard and he’s so proud -he’s got my yard looking like the surface of the moon! I dread the spring season, for I only see it getting worse, if that’s possible.

 

I guess the hardest part of retirement for him is seeing me off to work Every day, leaving him behind, and taking the new kid (K9 Drago) with me in the truck he went to work in for so long. I’d say he’s adjusting, however he still wants to work, but his old bones need the rest for retirement. I guess that’s where me as a handler/owner steps in to let him know he did a great job, and it’s time to pass the torch to the younger dog and enjoy his new job of watching over the Cooper Compound.

©2017 by BARKs. Proudly created with Wix.com                     501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization
bottom of page