Greece, N.Y. (WHAM) — A former police dog injured during a training event is now settling into his new home.
Ryan, an 8-year-old Malinois, served with the Greece Police Department for seven years.
“He was certified in patrol tracking and nitrates, so he was a bomb detection dog,” said Captain Josh Spearman. “He searched for missing people, wanted suspects and did many deployments looking for bombs or explosives or firearms. Their sense of smell is incredible, and they have the ability to detect scents that we can’t.”
Spearman said Ryan is named after Captain Richard Ryan, a former Irondequoit police officer and K-9 handler who lost his battle brain cancer in 2019.
K-9 Ryan was retired after an injury during a training exercise last summer.
“He blew out his knee really good, required TPLO surgery, which is ACL surgery for dogs, had his meniscus removed and required a plate and some screws in his knee,” Spearman said.
For Ryan’s next stage in life after service, Greece police wanted to ensure they found the right person — taking to the phone and social media to track down someone who could handle a high-energy former police dog on the mend.
“It makes the honor even greater to be able to give him a retirement home that he justly deserves,” said retired Army Special Forces veteran Mike Pintacura, who lives near Pensacola, Florida with his wife and pack of other dogs. He drove up to Greece to get Ryan just over a week ago.
“(There have been) zero issues integrating the dogs,” Pintacura said. “I thought it would take longer, but Ryan is definitely shown some personality and character.”
The widow of K-9 Ryan’s namesake also lives in Florida. She said she has met the dog in the past and plans to visit him at Pintacura’s home soon.
Richard Ryan, a former Irondequoit police officer and K-9 handler who lost his battle brain cancer in 2019, is pictured in an undated photo. (Photo provided by Ryan family)
Pintacura said K-9 Ryan has been enjoying having a sizeable property to run around on.
“He hasn’t been on a leash since the first day we got him home, so he’s been doing really good,” Pintacura said.
The only challenge, he said, is teaching Ryan to take a day off. The K-9 is still in cop dog mode.
“(You have to) teach them that it’s OK to not be switched on to work all the time,” Pintacura said.
Spearman said Ryan needs to take it easy with his continued knee rehabilitation.
“Ryan gets up in the morning to work,” Spearman said. “He lives to work, and that’s just going to be his biggest adjustment is learning to be OK with retirement life, being OK to sit on the couch.”
