Let us introduce you to K9-5, better known as Siren, the German Shepherd with a nose for justice and a serious watermelon addiction! Born in the bustling metropolis of Innisfail on January 24th, 2014, Siren arrived in Moose Jaw in the spring of 2015, ready to sniff out trouble and keep the streets safer than a squirrel’s winter nut stash.
For six glorious years, Siren patrolled the prairies under the watchful eye of Constable (later Sergeant) Chad Scheske, proving that even in a town where the wind howls like a coyote with a sore throat, justice will prevail. She was a tracking whiz, happiest when she was hot on the trail of some miscreant who thought they could outrun her nose. Spoiler alert: they couldn’t.
Let’s talk about her greatest hits. There was the time some knucklehead decided to rob a convenience store in the middle of a Saskatchewan deep freeze. Minus 25 degrees Celsius, folks! Siren, bless her furry soul, picked up a 25-minute-old track and led the cops on a kilometer-long chase, finding the discarded weapon and clothing, and ultimately the suspects, hiding like frozen peas in a pod. It was a feat of canine determination that warmed even the coldest of hearts.
Then there was the night Siren was rudely awakened from her beauty sleep to deal with some neighborhood car burglars. A quick sniff, a short chase, and BAM! The suspects apprehended in two minutes flat. She was probably back in her kennel, dreaming of chasing squirrels, before the squad car even warmed up.
And who can forget the time a guy got golf-clubbed, and no one would talk? Siren, half an hour behind the track, followed the trail for a mile and a half, across all sorts of surfaces, and found the guy hiding in a yard. He surrendered faster than a cat near a vacuum cleaner.
When she wasn’t busy catching crooks, Siren enjoyed the finer things in life. Like delicately nibbling watermelon while lounging in her kiddie pool, and dock jumping at the lake (followed by a mandatory shake-down of any nearby dry humans).
Now, in her well-earned retirement, Siren is showing a bit of a wobble in her hindquarters, but her spirit is as strong as ever. So, let’s give a big, warm welcome to Siren, the four-legged legend who proved that even in Moose Jaw, where the prairie dogs outnumber the criminals, a good dog can always save the day. Welcome to Ned’s Wish, Siren! May your retirement be filled with watermelon, belly rubs, and absolutely no criminals.