Local News

Logan Township receives new K9 officer

Service Paws of Central PA gives $36K for purchase of new police dog

An organization that has paid for the acquisition and training of service dogs for local people in need for the last 15 years has gifted one final animal -- this time to a public agency -- before the organization dissolves, in response to the death last year of its leader.

Service Paws of Central PA recently awarded $36,000 to the Logan Township Police Department for the purchase and lifetime training and certifications of a drug and tracker dog named Joe, who is currently in school with his handler, Officer Ryan Kochara, with the pair expected to hit the street before the end of this month.

"This allows us to continue our K9 program," given that the department's only other K9 dog, Freddy, will be retiring this year, said Police Chief Devon Moran.

The only grant condition was to name the red fox Labrador after Joe Fagnani, who died in November, according to Service Paws board member Heather Macharola.

Fagnani was not only Service Paws' president, but almost single-handedly sustained the organizational operations, working as a volunteer -- there were no paid employees -- 40 hours a week, Macharola said.

Because all the board members work full time and lack the wherewithal to take up the slack left by Fagnani's death, they decided in March to dissolve the organization, which meant donating the assets to some other nonprofit, Macharola said.

Those funds were raised through efforts that included an annual golf outing and requests made by organization representatives stationed outside retail stores, according to Macharola.

The same evening the board's intentions became clear, Macharola learned from her friend Jim Patterson, chairman of the Logan Township supervisors, that the supervisors had just authorized an application for a grant that if received would pay for a new K9 to replace Freddy.

Freddy was a drug-sniffing dog, but also a "bite dog," who would go after and take down suspects.

Moran intended to replace Freddy with a dog whose role didn't include biting.

He envisioned such a dog going around with his handler to schools to interact with children, to encourage them to stay away from drugs.

Such a dog would be more suitable in such a role, according to Patterson.

It would tend to be more friendly, and there would be fewer worries about potential issues, Patterson said.

"We didn't need an aggressive attack dog," Patterson said.

The department doesn't need a bite dog now, because "we have other de-escalation and use of force options that are just as effective," Moran said.

The new focus would emphasize "community engagement," Moran said.

Macharola took the information provided by Patterson about the township's plan back to her board -- and her board bit.

"We thought, 'What better way?'" Macharola said. "In memory of Joe, to pay for a police dog that would be working in the community."

Service Paws was founded in 2011 by Leslie Kelly, Macharola said.

Fagnani, who was blind and used a service dog himself, took a leading role starting a few years later, she said.

"Anyone who ever met Joe knew what a good soul he was and how hard he worked for others and how selfless he was," Macharola stated in an address whose transcript she shared with the Mirror. "Joe's lack of vision never blinded him (to the need for) helping others or pursuing his goals."

Over the years, the organization provided recipients with at least 24 service dogs, according to Macharola.

Those included dogs that alerted when children with illness were in crisis; dogs that enabled kids with social disorders to bear going out in public and to school; a dog that helped shepherd an autistic child who repeatedly ran away; and a dog who intervenes for a veteran who cannot tolerate when anyone walks toward him because he is traumatized by someone who'd done that before triggering a bomb, Macharola said.

The board is sad to have to dissolve the organization, but expects about $80,000 to go to Pittsburgh-based Life Changing Service Dogs for Veterans, following the payment of legal fees, Macharola said.

It's likely that the legal work involved will be complete by the end of the year, she said.

Kochara was selected from an undisclosed number of candidates to be Joe's handler, after the department made the opportunity known to its officers, Moran said.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.