September 30, 2024

(Tybee Island, GA) - The Tybee Island Police Department is gaining a new Narcotics Detection K9, thanks to the generosity of the non-profit organization Irondog K9 International.

On Tuesday, September 24th, the Tybee Island Police Department (TIPD) officially welcomed Tosca, a 2.5 year old female Labrador Retriever mix. Originally from S.A.K9 Solutions EU in Germany, Tosca was trained for narcotics detection by Kilo 2 Working Dog Kennels in Tennessee. By coming to the department fully trained, her donation is estimated to save TIPD $14,000. Once settled, Tosca will be partnered with Officer Michael Bensman, and the pair will begin training as a team in the coming weeks.

In addition, Irondog K9 International is sponsoring both of TIPD’s dog handlers to attend a three-day K9 Medic class next month. This training will equip both officers with the skills needed to provide emergency medical care for their partners, and tuition is valued at $995 each. Once the class is completed, Irondog K9 International has also committed to providing both teams with a K9 First Aid Kit, valued at $250 each.

“We are incredibly grateful for the generous donation of both, training and K9 Tosca.” Chief Tiffany Hayes said. “Irondog’s support is invaluable to our community, and we sincerely appreciate their commitment to making Tybee a safer place to live, work, and play.”

Residents and guests should expect to see K9 Tosca out in the community very soon.