Judge, beloved Allentown arson dog, dies at 14
Handler: ‘He was the best K-9 partner I could ever have’
The Allentown Fire Department’s former arson K-9 Judge died Friday, just a few days short of his 15th birthday.
Judge’s handler, retired fire Chief Lee T. Laubach Jr., posted on the dog’s Facebook page that Judge died earlier Friday morning.
“He was the best K-9 partner I could ever had. He was 12 days shy of his 15th birthday. He lived and loved his life right to the very end. Thank you for all your support and prayers,” the post reads in part.
Judge, a yellow Labrador retriever, was the fire department’s arson K-9 from 2011 until 2018, when both he and Laubach retired.
In 2016, Judge was named the 2016 American Hero Dog by the American Humane Association for his work with the department.
Judge was selected as a hero dog in the arson category, which was decided by a combination of votes from the public and the opinion of 30 judges.
The retired K-9 could identify 61 fire accelerants and would sniff through debris at scenes to see if there were any used in a fire. At the time of his award, he had worked on over 275 fire scenes.
In addition to fire investigations, Judge would participate in fire safety programs for crime watch groups, specialty dog shows and school programs.
The retired fire chief has said people were drawn to Judge’s expressive personality. He once said Judge was the “face of the department.”
“When you’re a K-9 handler of a K-9 like Judge, you just kind of stand back and let him do his thing,” Laubach said in a video for the American Humane Society.
Although Judge had not been with the fire department for years, the Lab’s Facebook page has remained active, with pictures and videos of the dog. The page has more than 2,000 followers.
In early October, the page posted that Judge had fluid in his abdomen, making it hard for him to breath.
“He will not be with us much longer. Right now, he is a happy dog. He will let us know when it is time to move on,” the post read in part.
The update Friday on Judge’s passing prompted a number of condolence responses and reactions. Many noted the great service Judge provided, and how much he will be missed. Allentown police were among those expressing condolences.
“Our deepest condolences during this difficult time! Thank you for your service to our community and all the wonderful moments we all were able to witness! Rest In Peace K-9 Judge,” Chief Charles Roca wrote.