Thurston K9’s Jaxx, Dexter and Daro could be getting a furry friend

The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office has three K9s — Jaxx, Dexter and Daro — and now the department is looking to add a fourth dog, either a German Shepherd or Belgian Malinois.

To add a fourth dog, the department needs to raise $20,000: $10,000 to buy the animal and another $10,000 to train, outfit and care for the dog, said Sgt. Rod Ditrich, team leader and a master trainer for the unit.

To get to their latest goal, they have received an assist in the form of a GoFundMe page started by Suzan Rixe, according to information on the page. Rixe could not be reached Monday.

Ditrich said he is aware of the page and it has been shared on the Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.

If you’re wondering why the sheriff’s office has to raise money for the K9 unit, that’s been the case for some time, Ditrich said.

For years, the sheriff’s office didn’t have a K9 department, then Ditrich made the following pitch in 2007: dog costs would be covered by funds raised every year, approximately $5,000 per dog per year, he said.

Funds are raised from private donors, including Thurston County individuals and businesses. Deputies and vehicles associated with the program are still covered by the Thurston County budget, he said.

A fourth dog will “allow a K9 and handler to be available and on duty day and night,” according to the campaign explanation. So far the $10,000 campaign has raised about $2,400.

In addition to the fourth dog, the Sheriff’s Office also is recruiting a deputy to be paired with the new dog, Ditrich said.

This story was originally published April 29, 2019 at 3:22 PM.