3 weeks ago
5
EXPENSES. K-9 ODIN IS A GERMAN SHEPHERD THAT SPENT SEVEN YEARS SERVING WITH MASSACHUSETTS STATE POLICE. NOW THAT HE’S RETIRED, ODIN HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH ARTHRITIS IN HIS ELBOWS AND HAS TO GET MONTHLY INJECTIONS TO HELP MANAGE IT. WHEN WE’RE ON THE JOB, OBVIOUSLY EVERYTHING IS COVERED BY THE STATE POLICE, BUT WHEN THE DOG RETIRES, WE AGREE TO INCUR, YOU KNOW, THE DOG BECOMES OURS. SO WE AGREE TO TAKE OVER RESPONSIBILITY FOR EVERYTHING. ON DECEMBER 9TH, PROJECT K-9 HERO SELECTED K-9 ODIN INTO THEIR PROGRAM AS THE 314TH MEMBER OF THEIR PACK. HE SAID, YOU KNOW, ODIN’S COVERED FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE FOR MEDICAL BILLS, WHATEVER HE NEEDS. AND THAT WAS KIND OF LIKE AN EARLY CHRISTMAS PRESENT FOR US. SO WE LOOK AT DOGS THAT HAVE A SPECIFIC MEDICAL NEED THAT WE FEEL WE CAN HELP WITH. A LOT OF THOSE ARE COULD BE A SURGERY THAT’S THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. IT COULD BE MONTHLY INJECTIONS. LIKE ODIN WITH HIS DEGENERATIVE ARTHRITIS, WHICH IS HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS A MONTH. K-9 ODIN WAS DEPLOYED MORE THAN 90 TIMES THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER, MOST RECENTLY CAPTURING A FLEEING SUSPECT FOLLOWING A PURSUIT THROUGH THE NORTH SHORE ON APRIL 30TH. I NOTICED THAT THE TRUCK WAS NOW DISABLED AT THE BACK OF THE CEMETERY, SO THAT’S WHEN I DROVE RIGHT UP TO THE TRUCK, SAW THE SUSPECT FLEEING INTO THE WOODS, FOLLOWED HIM AS FAR AS I COULD, INTO THE WOODS WITH MY CRUISER. I DEPLOYED ODIN FROM THE CRUISER OFF LEAD, TOLD HIM TO APPREHEND THE SUSPECT. JOSH STOP FIGHTING THE DOG.
Retired Massachusetts K-9 chosen to receive lifetime medical benefits
A retired Massachusetts State Police K-9 is one of the latest working dogs to be selected by a national nonprofit organization to receive medical benefits for the rest of his life.K-9 Odin, an 8-year-old German shepherd, retired this past July after spending seven years with the department. He had been assigned to Sgt. Nick Favaloro in 2021 after Odin's previous handler had to leave the specialized unit. Toward the end of his career with the state police, Odin was diagnosed with degenerative arthritis in his elbows, requiring monthly injections that cost more than $200 per injection."When we're on the job, obviously, everything is covered by the state police," Favaloro said in a sit-down interview with Newscenter5 at the department headquarters in Framingham. "When the dog retires, ... we agree to take over responsibility for everything."And that means all medical costs are paid out of pocket.Favaloro began researching organizations that help with the medical costs associated with the retired K-9 and had known about Project K-9 Hero, so he sent in an application."Project K-9 Hero was a big one that we liked, so we sent in an application," Favaloro said. "Within a couple of weeks, I got a call from the founder, Jason, himself. He said, you know, Odin's covered for the rest of his life for medical bills, whatever he needs. And that was kind of like an early Christmas present for us."Project K-9 Hero is a nonprofit organization based in the Midwest that is now responsible for covering the medical costs of police, military and government working dogs in 48 states. The organization was started by Jason Johnson, a former K-9 handler himself, as a way to give back to the K-9s that have served their communities and country."We help with significant medical costs, end-of-duty services, rehabilitation, rehoming and prescription food," Johnson said. "We have found that most police K-9s and military working dogs, after they serve their communities or country, don't get this service. I started this nonprofit to make sure that none of them go without what they need after their faithful service to our country."Johnson said that the nonprofit has more than 800 pending applications for benefits and it works to accept one K-9 every week, with K-9 Odin becoming the 314th member of its "pack." "Not only do we raise money through our nonprofit through donations to pay for that, we fight for the rights of these K-9 heroes with state and local governments. We try to get some of that funding put aside so we can put that towards retirement for many generations to follow," Johnson said. During his career, Odin was deployed for service more than 90 times, with one of his last deployments following a vehicle pursuit through several communities on the North Shore at the end of April. The suspect had run away from his disabled pickup truck and into a wooded area behind a cemetery in Danvers. Favaloro released Odin from his cruiser and ordered him to apprehend the suspect. After a brief chase, Odin successfully stopped the fleeing suspect, allowing Favaloro to place him into custody.For more information on Project K-9 Hero, or to make a donation, you can check out its website or social media channels by searching "Project K9 Hero" on Facebook and X.
FRAMINGHAM, Mass. —
A retired Massachusetts State Police K-9 is one of the latest working dogs to be selected by a national nonprofit organization to receive medical benefits for the rest of his life.
K-9 Odin, an 8-year-old German shepherd, retired this past July after spending seven years with the department. He had been assigned to Sgt. Nick Favaloro in 2021 after Odin's previous handler had to leave the specialized unit. Toward the end of his career with the state police, Odin was diagnosed with degenerative arthritis in his elbows, requiring monthly injections that cost more than $200 per injection.
"When we're on the job, obviously, everything is covered by the state police," Favaloro said in a sit-down interview with Newscenter5 at the department headquarters in Framingham. "When the dog retires, ... we agree to take over responsibility for everything."
And that means all medical costs are paid out of pocket.
Favaloro began researching organizations that help with the medical costs associated with the retired K-9 and had known about Project K-9 Hero, so he sent in an application.
"Project K-9 Hero was a big one that we liked, so we sent in an application," Favaloro said. "Within a couple of weeks, I got a call from the founder, Jason, himself. He said, you know, Odin's covered for the rest of his life for medical bills, whatever he needs. And that was kind of like an early Christmas present for us."
Project K-9 Hero is a nonprofit organization based in the Midwest that is now responsible for covering the medical costs of police, military and government working dogs in 48 states. The organization was started by Jason Johnson, a former K-9 handler himself, as a way to give back to the K-9s that have served their communities and country.
"We help with significant medical costs, end-of-duty services, rehabilitation, rehoming and prescription food," Johnson said. "We have found that most police K-9s and military working dogs, after they serve their communities or country, don't get this service. I started this nonprofit to make sure that none of them go without what they need after their faithful service to our country."
Johnson said that the nonprofit has more than 800 pending applications for benefits and it works to accept one K-9 every week, with K-9 Odin becoming the 314th member of its "pack."
"Not only do we raise money through our nonprofit through donations to pay for that, we fight for the rights of these K-9 heroes with state and local governments. We try to get some of that funding put aside so we can put that towards retirement for many generations to follow," Johnson said.
During his career, Odin was deployed for service more than 90 times, with one of his last deployments following a vehicle pursuit through several communities on the North Shore at the end of April. The suspect had run away from his disabled pickup truck and into a wooded area behind a cemetery in Danvers. Favaloro released Odin from his cruiser and ordered him to apprehend the suspect. After a brief chase, Odin successfully stopped the fleeing suspect, allowing Favaloro to place him into custody.
For more information on Project K-9 Hero, or to make a donation, you can check out its website or social media channels by searching "Project K9 Hero" on Facebook and X.
English (US)