CONTACT: Conservation Officer Ken St. Pierre: (603) 744-5470 Colonel Kevin Jordan: (603) 271-3361 March 4, 2021

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Law Enforcement Division’s K-9 Team has retired one valued K-9 member and added a new trainee. Due to an unforeseen health issue, K-9 Fin, who joined the unit in October, will not be able to execute the demanding physical requirements of a Law Enforcement Search and Rescue K-9. Fin will live a long and normal life as a family pet, and the Law Enforcement Division has been very fortunate to be able to assist in finding Fin his forever home with a stable and loving family already adopting him. We are confident that Fin will be a great companion for this lucky family.

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Conservation K-9 Team now welcomes a new K-9, Winni. Winni is a 7-month-old female chocolate Labrador retriever donated by Wes and Belinda Reed of Rise and Shine Retrievers in Barnstead, NH. This is the fourth generous donation made by the Reeds to the Department through the Wildlife Heritage Foundation of New Hampshire.

Winni is now partnered with Conservation Officer Kenneth St. Pierre, and the pair was united last week. The team will be assigned to the Lakes Region and will be available for call outs and emergency services across the state. To be ready to serve the residents and visitors of New Hampshire by this summer, K-9 Winni and Conservation Officer St. Pierre will immediately begin work daily on basic obedience, tracking, and exposure to both evidence and fish and wildlife.

Along with Fish and Game’s other canines and handlers, Winni and CO St. Pierre are expected to attend basic training at the Vermont K-9 Academy and “boot camp” at the 37th Basic Canine Patrol School this summer. The program is a 544-hour commitment for the team and runs from July until November. Upon completion of the course, Winni and CO St. Pierre will receive certification in tracking, evidence detection, and fish and wildlife detection.

Learn more about Fish and Game Law Enforcement’s canine conservation teams at www.wildnh.com/law-enforcement/k9.html.

The Wildlife Heritage Foundation provides the financial support vital to the continued success of the K-9 Program. You can help support the NH Fish and Game Canine Conservation Unit by sending a donation to the Wildlife Heritage Foundation of NH – Canine Fund, 54 Portsmouth Street, Concord, NH 03302, or donate online at https://nhwildlifeheritage.org/designated-giving/.