K9 SAR Memorial
Guardians Of The Night
Trust in me my friend for I am your comrade. I will protect you with my last breath When all others have left you And the loneliness of the night closes in, I will be at your side.
Together we will conquer all obstacles, And search out those who might wish harm to others. All I ask of you is compassion, The caring touch of your hands. It is for you that I will unselfishly give my life And spend my nights unrested. Although our days together May be marked by the passing of the seasons Know that each day at your side is my reward.
My days are measured by The coming and going of your footsteps. I anticipate them at every opening of the door. You are the voice of caring when I am ill. The voice of authority when I’ve done wrong.
Do not chastise me unduly For I am your right arm, The sword at your side. I attempt to do only what you bid of me. I seek only to please you and remain in your favor.
Together you and I shall experience A bond only others like us will understand When outsiders see us together Their envy will be measured by their disdain.
I will quietly listen to you And pass no judgment, Nor will your spoken words be repeated I will remain ever silent, Ever vigilant, ever loyal. And when our time together is done And you move on in the world Remember me with kind thoughts and tales, For a time we were unbeatable,Nothing passed among us undetected.
If we should meet again on another street I will gladly take up your fight, I am a Police Working Dog and together
We are guardians of the night.
Author – Unknown
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Marco, German shepherd
Marco was certified in Basic Area and Advanced Area S.A.R. and was also excellent at water searches.
Marco has been credited for several deceased victims finds and one live find on land as well as over 20 water finds; including one being in Fayette County. Marco was and will always be a special dog, he was first being trained as a Police dog, he was doing excellent at tracking and finding hidden suspects but would not do the protection work, so the Rescue Squad bought him and he was introduced in 1996 as the first Search and Rescue K-9 in the Sangamon County Rescue Squad. At that time, he had several Handlers working with him under the watchful eye of the Springfield Police K-9 Trainer JR Hauversburk.
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Max, German Shepherd
Max takes part in searches of both, live finds or cadaver finds. Max does not like to carry things in his mouth, so he prefers to let the handler pick up any articles he finds. He loves to be petted, play ball, watch the cat, romp with his brother Xavier, and play with the hose. His favorite thing is food.
Max’s handler, Cathy, is a charter member of the Sangamon County Search and Rescue K9 Team with the acquisition of Marco, both Xavier and Max’s father, in 1996. She has been training both Xavier and Max since they were 8 weeks old and is also one of Marco’s handlers. RIP
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Owen, German Shepherd
Owen was the largest of 11 littermates and was number 7 in birth order. At six years old his average weight was 97 lbs. We chose Owen as his name after learning that his father’s name Marco stood for Warrior and that Owen stood for Young Warrior. It started as a joke because my middle name is Owen, but it was fitting and we stuck with it. Maybe sharing a name with him was another part of what made him so special to me.
He was so full of energy and always ready to go in the truck. When it was time to train it took all I had to hold him back. Owen really liked to jump into or over objects. He was not always graceful but always got the job done. He would crawl through pipes that you would think he would get stuck in due to his size but always came out wanting to do more. It became a game for him to jump over our deck rail when he was out playing in the yard. He really enjoyed performing for anyone who wanted to watch. The continuous training with him over his six years with us was like one big playtime.
I learned a lot about dogs working with Owen and intend to use this knowledge with my next dog. Even though Owen never had a chance to help a victim in need while he was living, the knowledge I gained from him will help me prepare my next helper to be as devoted and ready to work as he was.
Owen not only enjoyed his time with me during training but had also become a big part of my family’s life as well. When my wife Cindy passed by his kennel he would always be there, looking for the treat that he knew she had. My two daughters enjoyed playing with him every chance they got.
The bond that formed between us made his passing very difficult. He will be greatly missed and always remembered, not only by his immediate family, but, by his extended family of the other Rescue Squad members, and everyone else that ever met him. RIP July 24, 1997 – June 18, 2003
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Donna, German Shepherd
Donna was certified in Basic Area and Advanced Area S.A.R. as well as Tracking. Donna was a member of the Sangamon County Rescue Squad since December of 1996, when she was imported form Amsterdam. We like to use a second dog to confirm our hits on water work and Donna came forward in doing this. She was credited with several water finds along with Marco. Donna was also the mother of 11 puppies, 10 of which were certified Search Dogs.
The 11th puppy, Athena, was certified to the USPCA PD1 Standards after attending a 560 hour class put on by the Springfield Police Department and Trainer JR Hauversburk. Athena lives at home with Handler Bill Russell.
RIP May 8, 1994 – July 22, 2004
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Brutus, German Shepherd
In loving memory of Brutus, a gentle soul, who was bred for a life of service. He worked graciously not only in the field but also as a good will ambassador for his breed and profession. I was proud to have him as my partner until his death in 2005. RIP
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