Читать книгу Pregnant Protector - Anne Duquette Marie - Страница 3

Dear Reader,

The bond between man and dog goes back to prehistoric days. Man’s ability to reason and make tools, coupled with the canine’s extraordinary speed, vision, hearing and smell was an unbeatable combination. It still is.

The United States began its association with canine or “K-9” teams in World War One, using messenger and patrol dogs. Shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the government established “Dogs for Defense” to standardize war dog training. By 1945 over ten thousand American dogs served overseas as sentry, scout and messenger dogs. Some even parachuted into the field. In Korea and Vietnam their service was expanded to include bomb detection and water duties. And the natural outcome of American dogs of war? American dogs of law enforcement.

The German shepherd was judged best suited to wartime conditions, and is still the preferred breed for law enforcement in the United States. Contrary to popular belief, their biggest task is not attacking. These highly intelligent animals are trained to search, protect, apprehend and assist. Searching is one of their main functions, and they are asked to find many things, from missing persons to drugs, firearms, evidence of crime and articles of terrorism. They also act as a strong deterrent to violence in tense situations.

The biggest asset of the canine, however, is loyalty. Just ask the handler of Sirius, a K-9 killed at the World Trade Center attack, or the handler of a German shepherd K-9 in my hometown. His dog took a shotgun blast on duty and served his “final watch.” This book is dedicated to Urk, whose memorial service I attended. Urk’s bravery, along with his handler’s, inspired me to research this subject.

By the way, my characters, the kennels, the police stations and this story are purely fictional. And although my heroine is also a work of fiction, the history of law enforcement and police dog training is not. Welcome to the world of canines and their handlers: true heroes and heroines in the war against violence.

Anne Marie Duquette [owner of AKC German shepherd Renegade Striker]