At four years old, K-9 Sig has a very impressive resume. Working for the Village of Spencer Police Department in Cortland, New York, the Belgian Malinois has traveled to K-9 conferences and competitions across the country with his partner, Officer Rick McCulskey. Sig holds patrol, tracking, scent detection/article search, and narcotics detection certification through New York State. He also holds other certifications through the Eastern Police Canine Association, North American Police Working Dog Association, and the National Narcotics Detector Dog Association.
Sig’s primary duties include narcotics detection and drug interdiction work. Officer McCulskey explains how “Sig is a high drive dog that loves to work and train.” Unfortunately, one day of training didn’t go as planned—in April 2018, Sig sustained a serious spinal injury after jumping to retrieve his toy reward and hurting himself upon landing on the tile floor. McCulskey explains how “Initially it was thought that he had torn his iliopsoas muscle and we began a conservative rehabilitation program.”
After several weeks of therapy at the Animal Performance and Therapy Center in Genoa New York, there was no improvement in Sigs’ condition. They were then referred to the Veterinary Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Group in Annapolis Junction Maryland, who found nerve damage to Sigs’ spine. In August 2018, Sig underwent successful surgery and a lengthy recovery period and was finally cleared to return to duty in November. According to McCulskey, “he has no lingering issues and is actually stronger than before his injury.”
The Spencer NY Police K-9 unit is funded completely through donations and Officer McCulskey’s personal financial resources. While his debt totaled over $8,000, McCulskey explains how “the generous donation from the National Police Dog Foundation significantly reduced the financial stress placed on my family.”
The National Police Dog Foundation is glad to hear that Sig has made a successful recovery and looks forward to hearing about his continued accomplishments.
.fusion-button.button-8{width:auto;}CLICK HERE To Donate to our Active K-9 Medical Fund
The ongoing medical care for K-9s can be very expensive and most K-9 departments simply do not have the funds for the ever increasing medical costs for K-9s. The National Police Dog Foundation commends these K-9s for their dedication and service and is proud to assist in the costs of Medical Care for K-9s. Please click on the button below to donate to our Active K-9 Medical Fund. The K-9s really need your help!