RCSO receives new SAR dog

At just 15 weeks old, the Rabun County Sheriff’s Department has added a German Sheppard who will be tasked as a search and rescue dog.

Investigator John Murphy said training began when Koa was just seven weeks old.

Unlike his counterpart K9’s Doug and Jorka who serve as the RCSO’s primary narcotic detection dogs, Koa will be used to do live tracking for missing persons or to find cadavers.

Murphy, who formerly trained K9’s full-time in South Georgia before his position at RCSO, said Koa is also his full-time fur companion when not hard at work doing training.

Currently, Koa’s days are tasked with basic obedience training, scent tracking and the occasional squeaky ball until he is mature enough to be put on duty.