Chelan County K9 Retires as Program Faces Uncertain Future

Chelan County Sheriff's Office announces the retirement of one of its K9 units, and the future of its K9 program appears uncertain.

Who Was K9 Ruben?

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Chief Ryan Moody said K9 Ruben served the Sheriff's Office for nine years, finishing his final day Tuesday. RiverCom 911 marked the occasion with a radio callout. Moody said Ruben will live out the rest of his days with his handler, Detective Mark Hegberg.

Rising Costs Threaten K9 Program

In a release, Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison said the decision to retire Ruben came with financial constraints.

"The agency is deeply grateful for the support of our community, but the reality of the rising costs associated with the K9 program totaling over $40,504 in expenses for K9 Ruben alone, not including more than $18,000 in recent medical bills, has made it clear that the current model is no longer sustainable."

In July, The Sheriff's Office said they need donations for Ruben as he faced his second bout with cancer. Ruben had surgery to remove the tumor, which resulted in the amputation in one of his legs.

Community Support for Retired K9s

The K9 program historically relied on community donations, but Morrison said the current model is leaving the sheriff's office vulnerable to unforeseen financial burdens.
The Sheriff's Office said they are working with Wenatchee Blue Family, a non-profit dedicated to assisting law enforcement officers and their families in the Valley, to raise additional funds to support retired working dogs like Ruben.

K9 Ruben’s Role in Drug Investigations

Ruben worked as a drug detection dog and assisted the Columbia River Drug Task Force with drug investigations. The Columbia River Drug Task Force consists of the Chelan and Douglas County Sheriff's Offices, as well as East Wenatchee and Wenatchee Police Departments.