FARMINGTON — Franklin County commissioners voted Tuesday to accept a donation of police dog named Abbie to the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department. In exchange, they agreed to give a $6,000 charitable donation receipt for tax purposes to the donor, Von Woden Kennels in Weld, owned by county Deputy B. David Rackliffe.
Sheriff Dennis Pike told commissioners that Jack, one of the county’s police dogs, is retired. He is Deputy Chris Chase’s dog.
Chase has been working with Abbie to see if she could serve on the force.
It is the second time this year that commissioners have been approached about replacing a police dog.
Commissioners voted in June to spend $3,000 to buy a potential police dog from Von Woden Kennels for Rackliffe to use for police work.
Rackliffe plans to retire Odin, who has arthritis, in 2012 and have Justice, the dog bought in June, replace him. Justice has been in training with Odin.
If Justice had continued to be owned and trained by the kennel, then the dog’s price would have increased to $7,000 by next spring, Rackliffe previously said.
Abbie was bred at the kennel, Rackliffe said. She appears to have the right qualifications to become a certified police dog, he said.
Typically, Rackliffe said, he would sell the dog for about $6,000 to any other agency. He said he would be willing to give the dog to the county for a charitable donation receipt.
The value of the dog is $6,000, he said.
“I’m certainly in favor of it if it is legal,” Commission Chairman Fred Hardy of New Sharon, said. “I certainly don’t want to step over the line.”
County Clerk Julie Magoon said that commissioners have a right to accept donations and referenced a state statute.
The $6,000 is not a figure that is at all inflated, Pike said.
Previously a county sheriff’s representative went to Germany to buy a German shepherd and the dog cost about $4,000, Pike said. Factoring in the cost of the trip, the cost was close to $6,000, he said.
The county’s canine program has been a great asset to the community, Pike said. The dogs have been very busy lately with drug cases, especially with bath salts.
There have been four calls recently, he said, from residents calling about people walking in their yards or near their barns.
“People are scared,” he said, about what has been going on.
It is good that “we can give them some comfort,” he said.
dperry@sunjournal.com
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