By: Abby Shepard, Marketing Director at Delaware State Parks
Testing is complete and the decisions have been made. We are so excited to introduce you to the two newest members of the Delaware Natural Resources Police: Leo and Vos!
Meet Vos! he is a 3 year-old Belgian Maloinois from Holland, and will be Corporal John Lister’s patrol dog. Corporal Lister chose Vos for his friendly demeanor and his stellar testing results. Vos means “Fox” in Dutch, and Vos’s color pattern makes him look like an oversized fox. Using the Dutch word ties back to dog’s heritage, being born in Holland.
Corporal Joh Lister with his new K9 Partner, Vos.
Leo is a ball of energy. This 2 year old German shepherd will be Officer Ditmore’s patrol dog, and was chosen for his friendliness, energy, and strong test results. The name Leo stands for Law Enforcement Officer, because these dogs are officers just like their handlers.
Officer Ditmore with his new K9 partner, Leo.
On the final morning, Officer Ditmore and Corporal Lister started bonding with their new partners. We took some photos, signed the papers, and loaded Vos and Leo into the vehicles for the long drive back to Delaware.
Once back in Delaware, Vos and Leo will bond with Officer Ditmore and Corporal Lister for about a month before starting their training at the Canine Academy in September.
We are so excited for the new additions to the Enforcement Team! Stay tuned as Vos and Leo begin training with in the Canine Academy!
Check out the Recap of Day 1
Check out a Recap of Day 2
Check out a Recap of Day 3
Learn more about the Delaware State Parks Canine Program