He has a very serious job with the Millville Fire Department , but he make out to act with his favourite miniature , too .
The fact Hansel the pit cop is still alive is a minor miracle , but the hero bounder is doing more than just living — he ’s working to serve his local fire department save lives all while break off away atthe stereotype surrounding his breed .
Hansel was rescued from an allege Canadian dog press tintinnabulation when he was just 7 weeks old . He ’d never fight down , but he was still schedule to be euthanized . gratefully , a shelter in Florida took him in before he was plucked by theThrow Away Dogs Project , which trains dogs to become K-9 officer in the Philadelphia sphere .
Savannah Young / American Humane Communications
That ’s how he and Millville ( N.J. ) Fire Department firefighter Tyler Van Leer found each other . Van Leer approached his chief in the summer of 2019 to demand about obtaining a department dog , one who could help with attack detecting and also serve as a community ambassador . With the assistant of a law police officer ally and Carol Skaziak , the laminitis of Throw forth Dogs , he had his first meeting with Hansel that September at the fire station .
" When he come out of the fomite and me and him locked eyes , the alliance had start , " Van Leer evidence Daily Paws . " I sleep with he could experience it , too . "
The new bonded span enter the honorary society that calendar month , focusing onscent training . Hansel completed more than 3,000 search , fine-tune in January 2020 . He ’s now anarson detection dogwho can detect the presence of ignitable liquids like kerosene and lighter fluid .
Erik Larson/ Larson’s Images
Hansel ’s olfactory organ detected the source of an October 2020 fire last year result in an collar , Van Leer says . More of late , he detected lighter fluid that was connected to a storage warehouse fire . Four people were turn back in that investigating , in part thanks to the stone pit Irish bull .
" Nobody knew a pit bull could do a task such as scent work , " Van Leer says .
He ’ll often ask audience at community events to guess which strain Hansel is . Bloodhound?German shepherd?Labrador retriever?Belgian Malinois ? Everyone is normally surprised at the response , but they soon fall in passion with Hansel , a happy boy with a big grinning who like to expect around his favorite toy . It ’s not what many people think of when you mention a stone bull , a dog stereotyped as dangerous .
" That ’s how he ’s destruct the stigma , " Van Leer says . " He ’s a true rock star . "
Speaking of being a star , Hansel is a finalist for theAmerican Humane Hero Dog Awards , interpret the Law Enforcement and Detection category . The 2021 Hero Dog winner will be announced Wednesday , October 20 at 9 p.m. easterly time onHallmark Drama .
