Keep K9 Ruger with Handler
Donation protected
In writing this, I, Dustin Pulley, am begging for your help. About a month ago I was presented with an opportunity to relocate closer to my sister, her husband and my only niece. I was excited about the opportunity to work in the sheriff's office there, but was also very cautious because I did not want to lose Ruger, my K9 dog.
The police department I worked with was located on an Indian Reservation. Even though I was not a tribal member, I was welcome as an employee on the tribal police force. Shortly after I joined the tribal police, I was offered an amazing opportunity--to be a K9 officer. The tribe sent me to Indiana to pick up a very intelligent, aggressive, yet adorable puppy. I named him Ruger. Ruger had been trained in a foreign language, German. Therefore, I also had to go through training to learn all of his commands in German. We grew a lot together over the next 4 years. After all, we were together 24/7. He lived in my house, with my family and I, and we never left each other's side. He was there when I met and married my wife, as well as the birth of my only son. He is my best friend.
From the beginning of our journey together, I was told that as long as I fulfilled my 3-year contract with the tribal police, Ruger would belong to me. This is fairly common with K9s on a police force, as studies have shown that when they are moved to another handler, they never perform to the same level as they did with their original handler. With such a close bond, they cannot comprehend why their original handler left them. In these cases, they can suffer extreme depression.
I had been with the Tribal Police for 4 years, I had fulfilled all of my obligations and was an outstanding employee. Ruger and I were such an amazing team that we were the #1 team in all of the state of Idaho. We were even asked to help with the drug problems throughout the region and nation. We had several announcements in newspapers and we're publicly recognized as an amazing team. While Ruger was the one that located the drugs, it was us working together as a team that made this duo happen.
When presented with the offer to move to northern Idaho, it was a really tough decision. I loved my job, loved the people I worked with, but it was time to make my family the #1 priority. So I met with the tribal attorney and confirmed the three-year agreement. I wanted to confirm that they would not keep Ruger. If there was any chance of that, I wouldn't leave.
I had been with the Tribal Police for four years so the attorney confirmed that yes, Ruger was mine to keep. She even went on to explain that no other police officers were certified in K9, nor were they trained on Ruger. Additionally, because Ruger is so aggressive, none of the current police force was interested in pursuing this as an option. I was so relieved.
On my last day with the tribal police, I was asked for my badge, gun and keys. They said goodbye to me. They said goodbye to Ruger. My family and I left that day with the four of us: my wife, Morgan, my son, Tucker, and my best friend/dog Ruger. We were so excited about our next chapter in life. My new police department was also excited about Ruger. Ruger and I had a lot of work to do to minimize the drugs in Northern Idaho and we were ready to get to work!
Two weeks later, I received a call at 9 p.m. one evening. It was the Tribal Police. They said they wanted Ruger back. My heart collapsed. I didn't understand. What had changed? How could they do this? They proceeded to say I had 72 hours to bring him to a kennel. They had no plan for him, but they wanted him back. No one was trained on him. No one knew the foreign language he spoke. So they were planning to keep them in a kennel until they could figure it out. Figure it out?! I begged and pleaded. How could they do this? Not only to me and my family, but to Ruger? Did they care about the well-being of this amazing animal? Didn't they know the research that stood behind K9s and their handlers? Didn't they know that this dog will never be as successful even with another handler trained on him, as he was with me?
I presented the tribe with a bill of sale. I offered to pay $4,500 for him. It was all the money I had in the entire world and I was willing to give it all to keep Ruger. The tribal committee wouldn't even meet with me. They wouldn't even have a conversation with me. I begged, I pleaded. Nothing. I researched and discovered that other K9 police officers in the past that have left this department were all able to keep their dogs. Their obligation was fulfilled. Why wasn't mine?
I have now contacted an attorney, because I don't know what else to do. The attorney says that I've fulfilled my portion of the agreement, but they did not fulfill their end of the deal. Additionally, the attorney explained that I was never paid properly. I worked so many hours off the clock with Ruger, that I may be owed nearly $15,000 in back pay. I don't want the money though. I am willing to give all of that up in order to keep Ruger with me.
I don't want Ruger to be my pet. I want to keep him as the #1 drug dog in all of Idaho, as well as nationally ranked. I want Ruger to thrive and thrive with me, the only handler he has ever known. I want to do the right thing for him, but I need your help. Attorneys are not cheap, and taking on the tribe will not be easy. But one thing is for sure, I am going to fight until the day I die for Ruger, because he cannot fight for himself.
Any help you can give, even $1, would be so greatly appreciated. Every cent I receive will go directly to saving Ruger. Thank you so much for your support. It means the world.
The police department I worked with was located on an Indian Reservation. Even though I was not a tribal member, I was welcome as an employee on the tribal police force. Shortly after I joined the tribal police, I was offered an amazing opportunity--to be a K9 officer. The tribe sent me to Indiana to pick up a very intelligent, aggressive, yet adorable puppy. I named him Ruger. Ruger had been trained in a foreign language, German. Therefore, I also had to go through training to learn all of his commands in German. We grew a lot together over the next 4 years. After all, we were together 24/7. He lived in my house, with my family and I, and we never left each other's side. He was there when I met and married my wife, as well as the birth of my only son. He is my best friend.
From the beginning of our journey together, I was told that as long as I fulfilled my 3-year contract with the tribal police, Ruger would belong to me. This is fairly common with K9s on a police force, as studies have shown that when they are moved to another handler, they never perform to the same level as they did with their original handler. With such a close bond, they cannot comprehend why their original handler left them. In these cases, they can suffer extreme depression.
I had been with the Tribal Police for 4 years, I had fulfilled all of my obligations and was an outstanding employee. Ruger and I were such an amazing team that we were the #1 team in all of the state of Idaho. We were even asked to help with the drug problems throughout the region and nation. We had several announcements in newspapers and we're publicly recognized as an amazing team. While Ruger was the one that located the drugs, it was us working together as a team that made this duo happen.
When presented with the offer to move to northern Idaho, it was a really tough decision. I loved my job, loved the people I worked with, but it was time to make my family the #1 priority. So I met with the tribal attorney and confirmed the three-year agreement. I wanted to confirm that they would not keep Ruger. If there was any chance of that, I wouldn't leave.
I had been with the Tribal Police for four years so the attorney confirmed that yes, Ruger was mine to keep. She even went on to explain that no other police officers were certified in K9, nor were they trained on Ruger. Additionally, because Ruger is so aggressive, none of the current police force was interested in pursuing this as an option. I was so relieved.
On my last day with the tribal police, I was asked for my badge, gun and keys. They said goodbye to me. They said goodbye to Ruger. My family and I left that day with the four of us: my wife, Morgan, my son, Tucker, and my best friend/dog Ruger. We were so excited about our next chapter in life. My new police department was also excited about Ruger. Ruger and I had a lot of work to do to minimize the drugs in Northern Idaho and we were ready to get to work!
Two weeks later, I received a call at 9 p.m. one evening. It was the Tribal Police. They said they wanted Ruger back. My heart collapsed. I didn't understand. What had changed? How could they do this? They proceeded to say I had 72 hours to bring him to a kennel. They had no plan for him, but they wanted him back. No one was trained on him. No one knew the foreign language he spoke. So they were planning to keep them in a kennel until they could figure it out. Figure it out?! I begged and pleaded. How could they do this? Not only to me and my family, but to Ruger? Did they care about the well-being of this amazing animal? Didn't they know the research that stood behind K9s and their handlers? Didn't they know that this dog will never be as successful even with another handler trained on him, as he was with me?
I presented the tribe with a bill of sale. I offered to pay $4,500 for him. It was all the money I had in the entire world and I was willing to give it all to keep Ruger. The tribal committee wouldn't even meet with me. They wouldn't even have a conversation with me. I begged, I pleaded. Nothing. I researched and discovered that other K9 police officers in the past that have left this department were all able to keep their dogs. Their obligation was fulfilled. Why wasn't mine?
I have now contacted an attorney, because I don't know what else to do. The attorney says that I've fulfilled my portion of the agreement, but they did not fulfill their end of the deal. Additionally, the attorney explained that I was never paid properly. I worked so many hours off the clock with Ruger, that I may be owed nearly $15,000 in back pay. I don't want the money though. I am willing to give all of that up in order to keep Ruger with me.
I don't want Ruger to be my pet. I want to keep him as the #1 drug dog in all of Idaho, as well as nationally ranked. I want Ruger to thrive and thrive with me, the only handler he has ever known. I want to do the right thing for him, but I need your help. Attorneys are not cheap, and taking on the tribe will not be easy. But one thing is for sure, I am going to fight until the day I die for Ruger, because he cannot fight for himself.
Any help you can give, even $1, would be so greatly appreciated. Every cent I receive will go directly to saving Ruger. Thank you so much for your support. It means the world.
Organizer
Morgan Pulley
Organizer
Saint Maries, ID
