Defiance Deputies’ Dog Dies in Hit-and-Run

By Jane Schmucker, The Blade, Toledo, Ohio

Feb. 3–DEFIANCE — Defiance County sheriff’s deputies are mourning the loss of one of their most beloved partners.

Rowdy, who had been part of the sheriff’s department for more than four years, died instantly after he darted into the path of a car and was struck in a hit-and-run Thursday afternoon near the home of the sheriff’s deputy who worked with him.

Rowdy was let out of the house to relieve himself, along with a smaller dog that is a pet of Deputy Aaron Giesige and his wife.

The smaller dog spotted and chased a rabbit and Rowdy — who was trained not to leave the yard — followed suit and ran in front of a northbound car on Harris Road, just south of Hoffman Road in Highland Township, in the far southeast corner of Defiance County, Sheriff David Westrick said.

Perhaps Rowdy ran out to the road to protect the pet dog, the sheriff guessed.

“Or maybe he forgot his training and chased the rabbit,” he said. “He’s not supposed to chase rabbits, but he’s human too.”

Rowdy, of course, was a German Shepherd.

But the sheriff and his deputies yesterday were going through an emotional day, feeling as if they had lost one of their own.

“Rowdy, as his name implied, was ornery. And then as he matured, he became an affable, beautiful dog,” Sheriff Westrick said, remembering how Rowdy would “chew up anything in his path” as a young dog and was full of “vim and vitality.”

The dog, which was almost 6 years old, was trained in drug detection, search and recovery, and aggression and should have been able to work for three to five more years.

His death leaves the office with one German Shepherd, a new dog named Malek, which is about 2 years old and is “just learning the ropes,” Sheriff Westrick said.

Replacing Rowdy would cost $5,000 in addition to three weeks of training for the dog and 14 weeks of training for a deputy.

But yesterday, the sheriff and his deputies were too full of sorrow over their loss to be thinking about acquiring another dog.

Charges against the unknown driver who hit Rowdy are not expected because the dog darted out in front of the vehicle, according to Sgt. Jim Edwards, with the Ohio Highway Patrol’s Defiance post, which is investigating the incident.

But he said troopers would like to talk to the driver about why the vehicle didn’t stop. Rowdy weighed about 115 pounds and the driver should have known the vehicle hit something, the sergeant said.

Contact Jane Schmucker at: jschmucker@theblade.com or 419-337-7780.

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Copyright (c) 2007, The Blade, Toledo, Ohio

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