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Lion’s share of glory
A veteran sheriff’s K-9 settles into retirement
By CHARY SOUTHMAYD
Article published on Wednesday, June 25, 2008 |
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![[Image]](/content_images/062508_pco-01.jpg) |
| Photo by CHARY SOUTHMAYD |
| Narcotics Detective Pat Shea and his partner, Lion, are the guests of honor at Lion’s retirement ceremony June 24. |
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PINELLAS COUNTY – Back in 1998, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office paid $2,000 for a young yellow Lab named Lion who would become a member of the narcotics interdiction team.
What might sound like a big investment has paid off in huge dividends.
On June 24, Lion officially retired after 10 years of sniffing out drugs – a whole lot of drugs. During his K-9 career, Lion is credited with aiding in the seizure of 2.8 tons of narcotics including marijuana, cocaine, crystal meth and heroine, as well as $303,000 in currency.
And he does it all for the joy of receiving a rolled up towel to rip apart.
Sheriff’s Office colleagues and admirers gathered for Lion’s retirement ceremony at the Child Protection Investigation Division in Largo. They brought gifts and tons of admiration for the talented and adorable dog who has always dutifully aimed to please his handler and partner, PCSO Detective Pat Shea. Lion received his retirement badge of appreciation.
“It’s a happy and sad thing,” Shea said of Lion’s retirement. “But he is progressing in age and this is the perfect time to go.”
At almost 12 years old, Lion can’t jump up like he used to and he is developing cataracts.
“Typical age-related things like all of us,” Shea said.
Lion’s protégé in narcotics interdiction will be Watson, a 2-year-old black Lab. Like Lion, Watson lives at home with Detective Shea and his wife, Kathy, who also works in the narcotics division. One more yellow Lab, a civilian named Cole, is also part of the family.
The typical day for a narcotics interdiction dog involves working parcel post at Tampa International Airport, helping to execute search warrants for narcotics or randomly searching storage unit facilities. Recently, Lion led Shea to two kilos of cocaine in a storage unit in Largo.
It’s all in a day’s work, and not bad for a dog who flunked out of hunting school as a pup in Minnesota. Lion was clearly destined to seek out illegal drugs, rather than flush out fowl.
His days of busting bad guys behind him, Lion’s retirement years at the Shea home will be filled with his favorite things – watching “Animal Planet,” eating Milk Bones and Frosty Paws, and relaxing on the couch.
Chances are, a rolled up towel won’t be far away.
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Article published on Wednesday, June 25, 2008
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