Chief Leonard J. Wetherbee Jr.
PO Box 121
1035 Whittier Highway
Moultonborough, NH 03254
For Immediate Release
Monday, June 16, 2014
Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 781-533-9398
Email: [email protected]
Moultonborough K-9 Rony Retires After Nearly 9 Years on the Job
Will Live in Peace and Comfort with His Former Partner and Family
MOULTONBOROUGH, N.H. — It hasn’t been a “ruff” life for Moultonborough Police Department K-9 Rony, but even after nearly nine years of service, he was still up-and-ready when his last day on the job came on May 30.
The 11-year-old German Shepard was born in the Czech Republic, flown to the United States and trained by Castle K-9 when he was 1 year old. Rony was then brought to the Moultonborough Police Department and first paired with Officer James O’Brien. When Officer O’Brien left the department, Rony was paired with Detective Stephen Kessler, and they have been inseparable ever since.
Kessler, who has been a member of the department since 1995, really took to his partner, and that is why Rony will be living with Kessler and his family in retirement.
“Rony has served the citizens of Moultonborough well and deserves to spend his remaining years in peace, with his handler and partner, Detective Stephen Kessler and the Kessler family,” said Moultonborough Police Chief Leonard J. Wetherbee Jr.
The Moultonborough PD has decided not to train another K-9 at this time, and will retrofit the K-9 cruiser to become a part of the uniform fleet.
Rony was a multi-purpose K-9, able to track and apprehend suspects, detect narcotics, and conduct routine patrol. Kessler recalls many incidents when he and Rony were responsible for tracking down suspects after they had fled their vehicles, as well as a time when they located a suspect barricaded inside the closet of a house, leading to his arrest.
“Rony is very intelligent and he’s very social, with both people and other dogs,” said Kessler, who yells commands to Rony in the dog’s native Czechoslovakian. “He’s a very loyal companion. I’d rather work with him than most humans!”
The two officers were even part of two Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams – Belknap County Special Operations SWAT and Central New Hampshire Special Operations SWAT.
Now that Rony is retired, it doesn’t mean he’s slowed down. According to Kessler, who received official ownership of Rony from the town, Rony still has lots of energy, especially now that he’s not using any for work.
“He’s 11 years old but you wouldn’t know it,” said Kessler. “Rony loved coming in to work. Not having him with me 24/7 every day is kind of different. I absolutely miss him when I’m at work, but now that he’s retired he’s just got to hang out and be a normal dog.”
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