Retired Wyoming Highway Patrol Drug Dog Passes Away
A dog that had quite a career as a narcotic detection canine with the Wyoming Highway Patrol passed away last month.
In a statement, the Wyoming Highway Patrol says Bonnie started with the Patrol in the fall of 2008 and passed away Nov. 27.
During her law enforcement career, Bonnie had been assigned to work in the Cheyenne area.
At one point, while assigned to temporary duty in the Sundance area, Bonnie helped spur a nationwide investigation by finding 482 pounds of marijuana hidden inside furniture which was being hauled in the cargo area of a Penske rental vehicle.
The case led to several arrests in "numerous" other states, the Patrol says.
On another occasion, Bonnie helped troopers find a huge quantity of the drug MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy.
During the search of a vehicle in the Cheyenne area, Bonnie alerted to the presence of illegal drugs inside the vehicle. But an exhaustive hand-search by troopers turned up nothing.
Bonnie was redeployed to find the specific location of the drugs, and alerted to the tailgate area, leading troopers to find over 11 pounds of ecstasy. That case also prompted a nationwide investigation and led to numerous arrests.
"All working dogs are important and make silent contributions to their communities on a daily basis," Patrol Sgt. Kyle McKay said in a news release. "Bonnie was one of these very special canines. Her selfless work helped to prevent illegal drugs entering communities all across this nation."
Bonnie was retired due to health issues, which made it difficult for her to continue her career with the Patrol. She spent her final years in the Bighorn Basin area, mostly on Worland, with the Dennis Toman family. Her handler, Patrol Capt. Karl Germain, was reassigned to Cheyenne.
The Patrol and Germain thanked the Toman family for "the love and affection they gave to Bonnie in her final years," as well as the Humane Society of Worland, which provided for Bonnie's cremation and supplied an urn for her ashes.