The New Philadelphia Police Department has a new four-legged member to their team.
A 16-month-old Belgian Malinois named Reaper is now accompanying the department’s K-9 Officer Tristen Lambert.
Lambert says Reaper is a hard worker, but being social is also important.
“He is also very social. Reaper is good tempered. When it’s time to work, he’ll work, but he is also social just as Pablo was. I can have him around anybody and he’ll be just fine.”
Pablo was Lambert’s previous K9 before retiring earlier this year due to laryngeal paralysis, a condition which restricted his breathing and required surgery. He is now healed from surgery but can’t bark anymore. Lambert says he is working on relaxing and making the switch from a work dog to a pet.
He says the costs for Pablo’s surgery and Reaper’s purchase and training were covered by donations.
“Our K9 budget are all donations based. Any dollar that I need to spend on these dogs when it comes to food, toys, equipment, leashes, collars, vest, harnesses, basically everything that comes with these dogs it all has to be raised and donated. Because we are 100% donation based.”
Reaper was purchased from Midwest Working Dogs in Columbus for $13,000. He was trained by the Police K9 Association out of Canton.
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