Animals in War & Peace

2024 Animals in War & Peace DSM Recipients

K9 Cody - AWP Distinguished Service Medal #5

DSM #5: K9 Cody: U.S. Embassy-Baghdad, American K9i, Carrsville,VA, German Shepherd/Belgian Malinois. Cody has been an excellent working dog, pairing her innate gift to detect explosives and firearms with her calm and loving demeanor. Cody began working at 18 months of age, and accumulated over 4,000 hours of explosives detection operations in Iraq, over 3,000 hours of explosives detection operations in Minnesota, and after her final transfer to the eastern United States, she added more than 5,000 hours of explosives detection operations. Recently, in two separate incidences, during routine sweeps, she detected weapons and ammo in a student’s car at two local schools.

K9 Bane - AWP Distinguished Service Medal #6

DSM #6: K9 Bane: St. Francis Police Dept., FBI SWAT Milwaukee, German Shepherd: In one noteable incident, K9 Bane was deployed to execute a high-risk search and arrest warrant on a leader of a violent street gang known to possess firearms and drugs. The target subject maintained firearms in the residence. After a standoff, Bane queued up on the individual and began to growl loudly. Immediately, the suspect said he would surrender and pleaded not to deploy Bane. The target got down on his knees, crawled out of the doorway, and was no longer in possession of a firearm when he exited the doorway.

K9 Sonya - AWP Distinguished Service Medal #7

DSM #7: K9 Sonya V558: US Coast Guard, Maritime Safety and Security Team (MSST) Seattle (91101) and Maritime Security Response Team West; Belgian Malinois (alive): K9 Sonya has performed over 5,000 hours of explosives detection work, executing over 8,500 vehicle sweeps for the Washington State Ferries. She worked security for four Super Bowls, the Rose Bowl, U.S. Track and Field Olympics, U.S. World Athletics, multiple PGA tournaments, and she also supported local law enforcement agencies on 25 separate occasions, responding to bomb threats in residential and federal buildings. She assisted in security details for four U.S. Presidents, diplomats, high ranking dignitaries and world leaders, and now serves as the Coast Guard’s first canine recruiter.

2024 Animals in War & Peace MOB Recipients

K9 Kitt - AWP Medal of Bravery #17

MOB # 17: K9 Kitt 823K: Braintree Police Dept., Braintree, MA, Belgian Malinois: Kitt served with the Police for 12 years. On June 4, 2021, Kitt and his partner responded to a domestic violence call where an armed suspect fled from a nearby apartment complex to a wooded area. As K9 Kitt tracked down the suspect, the man opened fire from an ambush position, hitting K9 Kitt with the first rounds and wounding two officers. Despite their wounds, the officers returned fire and killed the suspect. Kitt died on scene, but his actions saved the lives of his two fellow officers.

K9 Yoda - AWP Medal of Bravery #18

MOB #18: K9 Yoda: Detroit Sector, Special Operations Detachment, U.S. Border Patrol Tactical (BORTAC) K9 Unit, Belgian Malinois (alive): Yoda joined BORTAC in May 2022, specializing in high-risk situations that his team responds to such as warrant services, hostage operations, tactical tracking, air operations, and more. On September 13, 2023, after a 14-day manhunt evading hundreds of law enforcement officers, Yoda and his BORTAC team successfully apprehended Danelo Cavalcante, an armed escaped prisoner convicted of murder in Pennsylvania. Yoda was able to bite and hold the subject thus preventing his escape and his ability to use the stolen rifle he possessed.

K9 Endo & K9 Ax - Medal of Bravery #19

MOB #19: K9 Endo & K9 Ax: Volusia County Sheriff Dept., (both alive): In 2014, K9 Endo was shot and injured while pursuing a wanted felon who had just shot his girlfriend. Despite being shot in the neck, Endo apprehended the felon and held him until released. Once Endo recovered from his wounds, he went back on duty. On Sept 11, 2021, an armed carjacking felon fled arrest. K9 Ax tracked the felon into the woods where he quickly located and apprehended the man, but then shots rang out, and Ax had been shot. As Ax was rushed from the scene the felon attempted to escape. K9 Endo quickly closed in on the subject and more shots rang out. Endo, again despite being shot, made the apprehension, and took down the fleeing felon. K9 Endo was struck twice by bullets to his paw and jaw. These injures ended his career, but K9 Ax made a full recovery and continues to serve today.

Donor Wall 2024

Sponsors/Donors

PLATINUM DONORS $10,000+

GOLD DONORS $5,000+

Timothy Day Family Foundation - Phoenix, AZ

Hydronalix - AZ

SILVER DONORS $2,500+

Lee and Ramona Bass - Ft. Worth, TX

MEDVET - Worthington, OH

Peterson Family Foundation - Fairfax, VA

Martha and Steven Peterson

BRONZE DONORS $1,000+

K9 Hurricane's Heroes - Colorado Springs, CO

Marine Corps League Detachment 1062 - Annandale, VA

National Assessment - Athens, GA

Omaha Equestrian Foundation - Omaha, NE

Deborah Sergesketter - Greeley, CO

Three Pearls Charities, Inc. - Portland, OR

DONORS

Greg Laub - MD

Zane Lockhart

Valerie Ormond - Bowie, MD

Dale Punch - Lincolnton, NC

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2024 Animals in War & Peace Ceremony - March 6, 2024

Our 2024 Medalists