Whitetails Unlimited is supporting the new Ohio DNR-Division of Wildlife program to place a wildlife K-9 team in each of Ohio’s five wildlife districts with a $5,000 WTU grant in each district ($25,000 total). The grants were organized by WTU Northeast Ohio Field Director Dennis Malloy, who noted that “This is a big project that will provide benefits for Ohio conservation for years to come. We’re happy and proud to support and help fund this project.” Whitetails Unlimited has more than 40 chapters and 12,500 members in Ohio.More than 20 states currently have a wildlife K-9 program. One wildlife officer from each of Ohio’s five wildlife districts will become handlers in the program, and be paired with a highly skilled K-9 who is trained to detect hidden wild game such as white-tailed deer, turkey, waterfowl and fish, along with other non-game scents like ginseng and gun powder. The dogs will also have the ability to track people and will be used to find lost hunters and people hunting without permission, among other tasks. The K-9s will also be friendly and socialized to participate in conservation programs and youth events, allowing people to meet them and ask questions about Ohio’s newest law enforcement members.
Jeff Schinkten, president of WTU said “With every arrest, assist, and recovery these officer canines make, WTU members in Ohio can be proud that their participation at WTU fundraisers made this possible.” Schinkten noted that both the K-9s and their wildlife officer handlers need extensive training and have to meet tough standards for law enforcement K-9s, as well as advanced training in wildlife detection. “It’s truly amazing what a well-trained team of dog and handler can accomplish,” Schinkten said.
Malloy also requested that the K-9 training academy be named after Reno “Jay” Reda, a former State Wildlife Officer and dedicated member of Whitetails Unlimited who passed away in 2012. “Jay was an inspiration to numerous sportsmen and women, and his love and passion for service dogs was unending. We lost Jay way too soon, and this academy is a fitting way to honor his service,” said Malloy.