Successor planned for K-9 officer

Trainer will donate new dog, provide free initial training

Perry Village Police Department is receiving a new dog that will be trained to succeed K-9 Officer Zack, who died unexpectedly Oct. 31.

That announcement was made at the Nov. 8 Perry Village Council meeting by village Police Chief Troy Hager.

Plans call for pairing the new K-9 officer with village Police Lt. Michael Collins, who also partnered with K-9 Officer Zack for 1 1/2 years. Zack, a 3-year-old Belgian Malinois, died after exercising with Collins in a village park prior to the pair making an appearance at a daycare center.

Hager said on Nov. 8 that Master Trainer Mark Allen of Northeast Patrol Dogs in Jefferson, who prepared Zack to serve as a K-9 officer, will provide Perry police with another dog at no cost. Allen also will conduct initial

training for the new K-9 free of charge.

“We’ve had an outpouring of many people asking how they can donate to the K-9 program and get it started again, and we’re very fortunate that our master trainer is going to take care of that,” the chief said.

Hager anticipates that training for the dog will start in about four months, once Northeast Ohio’s winter weather subsides.

“(The trainer and dog) do a lot of outdoor training,” he said. “You get into really bad temperatures and stuff like that, it’s hard on the officer and the dog, for the amount of time they spend outside.”

With training scheduled to take six weeks, Hager is hoping to have the new K-9 officer ready to begin patrolling with Collins by late spring or early summer.

In the meantime, village police and government leaders are preparing to conduct a memorial ceremony for Zack at 9 a.m. Nov. 10 outside of Village Hall, 3758 Center Road.

The Perry Police Patrol

Officers Benevolent Association will unveil a memorial marker for Zack that will be placed at the base of the flagpole in front of Village Hall.

The event will will also include the presentation of Zack’s remains to Collins; a rifle volley; and music from a bagpipe player. Mayor James Gessic also will present a proclamation honoring Zack.

After Zack died Oct. 31, the K-9’s body was transported to Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center for a necropsy — the animal version of an autopsy.

Preliminary findings didn’t indicate a specific cause of death, Collins said Nov. 9. It might take as long as 30 days before a final report on the necropsy is received.

Zack’s body was cremated in Columbus and his remains, along with a paw print from the K-9, were delivered back to Perry. Hager said the company that performs animal cremations for OSU Veterinary Medical Center donated their services when it came to Zack.

(The company) said because it was a police dog, they weren’t going to charge us,” Hager said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PERRY VILLAGE POLICE DEPARTMENT Perry Village Police Department K-9 Zack and his partner, Lt. Michael Collins. Zack died on the afternoon of Oct. 31 after exercising with Collins at Lee Lydic Park in Perry Village.