FORT SMITH (KFSM) -- Seven K-9 officers are now equipped with a GPS tracking collar thanks to the generosity of both the community and a local corporation.
After Greenwood K9 police officer Kina was shot during a police standoff, the idea to attach the tracking collars came about. Kina was injured and lost for several days after the standoff. Her handler Cpl. Dennis Wisner, along with hundreds of volunteers, never lost hope and searched until she was found. Jon Remer, a local veterinarian, contacted Fort Smith based Mars Pet Care for help.
"It's a combination of joy, gratitude and pride," Dr. Remer said.
"Dr. Remer came to the plant and asked if Mars Pet Care could play a role in helping the services dogs in this area," Mars Pet Care's plant manager Russ Hayes said. "We sat in a conference room and talked about GPS tracking, and lucky for us Mars had just acquired a business called Whistle that makes the devices we supplied to all of the K-9's today."
Friday (Sept. 16) seven K9 officers with Greenwood, Fort Smith, Arkansas State Police and the Sebastian County Sheriff's Office were given the free GPS trackers with one year of free service.
"It changes everything," Wisner said. "Last month when I lost her, if I would have had this it would had sped up the process immensely,"