Strength, Vulnerability, and Love
K-9
Sage
by Karen Nowak
Sage's Bio written by Diane Whetsel
In 1999, K-9 Sage arrived into the USA from the
UK at 10 weeks of age. By 16 weeks I had already begun her training to
become a disaster specialist for FEMA. Working on the basics of obedience,
I could immediately see that she was going to be an exceptional dog.
Sages’ enthusiasm and intelligence made training an absolute joy for me.
By the time she was twelve months old, she had
already completed all of the FEMA requirements for the FEMA certification
however, FEMA had a rule that disallowed the formal evaluation of a K-9
until they were at least 18 months of age. When she reached FEMA's legal
age, we headed to Phoenix for her certification. Sage, true to form passed
on the first try. This was unusual at that time and it is still a
difficult evaluation for any dog to pass, especially on the first try, at
any age. Just before her second birthday, Sage gave birth to seven
wonderful Border Collie puppies.
It wasn't long after that we experienced the
largest national disaster in our time. 9/11 came as a shock to the nation.
Sage served at the Pentagon in the aftermath of the attack. Although her
training was primarily for live find, I had done some training with her
for a cadaver search so she was well suited for the task.
After the Pentagon deployment I became more
serious about cross training her, for cadaver search. She took to it very
well and learned two different alerts easily.
One for cadaver and one for live. That way I could relate the rescue team
where to prioritize the excavation efforts to rescue live first and mark
where we needed to come back later.
Over the years, K-9 Sage has worked with several
law enforcement departments in South Eastern New Mexico and Southwestern
Texas for missing persons and as a forensic dog in homicide
investigations.
In 2005 Sage served again in a high profile case
in Aruba searching for Natalie Holloway. Shortly after the Natalie
Holloway search, K-9 Sage was deployed to Mississippi for hurricane
Katrina, then for Rita.
As an NNDDA Advanced Certified Cadaver Dog, we
were called on to serve in Iraq. There where several soldiers that had
been captured and may have been killed by insurgents. The US Army, not
having cadaver K-9's, were requesting assistance. In September of 2007 we
were flown out to Ft. Benning for our country orientation before deploying
to Iraq. Sage and I were gone for about six months searching near the area
the Soldiers had been ambushed. We searched farm fields, homes, and
industrial areas. Sage became as comfortable riding in a Blackhawk as she
is in her own car at home. We were involved in several air assaults, water
assaults and ground operations during our tour there.
K-9 Sage is in an on going veterinary study for
our 9/11 dogs. Once a year Sage has her blood drawn and chest X rays taken
by Dr. Walker here in Roswell. It is all sent to the University of
Pennsylvania for study and results. The AKC
is one of the major sponsors of the 9/11 K-9 health study program. It is
hoped that by studying the 9/11 dogs, we can diagnose and treat any health
problems associated with their deployment to these toxic disasters. It is
also hoped that the results of this study can also alert us to any health
problems that may potentially manifest for the human responders as well.
The book is still being written as Sage continues
to serve New Mexico and her country. I'm sure that there are still
chapters yet to write in K-9 Sage's career.
B. Diane Whetsel
Owner/ Handler for K-9 Sage
NMCD, RCC K-9 Officer
PS, Remember those seven pups Sage gave birth to?
Well, two of them are Certified FEMA K-9's today and one grew up to become
a certified service dog for the disabled.
___________________________________
As an Animal Communicator I was contacted by a
friend to talk to Sage, after Diane had undergone extensive reconstructive
knee surgery. Sage, during Diane’s surgery, stayed with a woman she knew
well. She had often visited her when it was necessary for Diane to be away
without her. On the day I received the call, Sage had come home.
She walked in the house with her tail between her legs. She would not go
near Diane.
I had spoken to Sage on one other occasion, and
knew she was a very self assured dog. She took her cue from Diane and now
the ground rules were different. Since the age of 10 weeks, Diane had been
her partner, mirroring all her strength and intensity of focus. As a
Border Collie, Sage relishes the job of being equal to all the strength
Diane embodies both personally, and professionally. Sage due to her
intense connection to Diane, knew this separation was different. Her
mirror was in pain and vulnerable. Sage had no point of reference in which
to channel this information and what she was feeling. They had not been in
this position with each other before. Sage had been trained to deal with
the pain and death of others, but always with Diane at her side. Sage
works well with a handler. She had no handler for this. Sage and I spoke
for a few minutes and I acknowledged what she was showing me. I conveyed
it to Diane how this was not something Sage had reference for. Being as
highly intelligent and strong as she is, it was hard to recognize in Sage
a place she had found that didn’t hold information from previous training.
When Diane began to realize what her canine friend and partner was
feeling, Sage went over and sat on the couch next to her. It was a
beginning. She was going to figure this out in her own time. Sage would
wait for Diane to resume her role. They would build the next steps
together. Diane was given another view of how deeply their relationship
ran, and what Sage was mirroring in her.
Diane and Sage have a solid relationship that has
the skill to move through any vulnerability that they encounter in each
other. Vulnerability by how it is viewed, can and is, a wonderful tool.
Building deeper love and appreciation, in any relationship.
As Diane states, Sage’s story is still being
written.
She is a multi faceted hero. They both are. I
thank you both, for all that you do.
