An explosives dog in Prince George’s County who almost didn’t survive an Anne Arundel County animal shelter earlier this year is ready to protect and serve.
Two-year-old German shepherd Boomer is one of Prince George’s County’s newest first responders.
“He was a pound rescue set to be euthanized — probably within hours,” Prince George’s County police Cpl. Andrew Cummings said.
That was about three months ago, when Anne Arundel County police saw something special in him they thought would make him a good addition to their K-9 unit. But they didn’t have a place for him in their department.
They called neighboring Prince George’s County, which gave Boomer a second chance.
“The ability to add another resource to our department to fulfill our mission,” Prince George’s County Fire Chief Tiffany Greene said. “When Anne Arundel called to donate the dog, we were excited.”
Boomer went through weeks of bomb-detection training — routines like placing him in a dumpster full of plastic bottles to acclimate him to noise and movement; teaching him how alert, how to sit, when he detects explosive materials.
“He basically went from a kennel dog that was not very sociable to a working dog,” Cummings said. “As you can see, he can be around people, very sociable, and just a good working dog.”
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The tradition of dogs and the fire department goes back to the days when fire apparatus was horse-drawn. Dalmatians would help keep the horses calm and guide them on the street, clearing the way ahead of them. That changed as technology changed, but there’s still a place for canines.
Boomer will be used for things like suspicious package calls, post-blast investigations and special events in the county.
Prince George’s County is one of several dozen jurisdictions where the bomb squad operates under the aegis of the fire marshal. The handlers are police officers.
Boomer will be going home with his handler to become part of a pack of four other dogs. At work, he’s already part of an adopted family of first responders — a far cry from euthanasia.
“He’s excited to work every day, and just living life to its fullest, now,” Cummings said.
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