Explosive detective K-9 Brian's handler recalls his time with his partner

Explosive detective K-9 Brian’s handler recalls his time with his partner

K-9 Brian retired about three years ago due to medical issues and since then, he’s been enjoying retirement life, but now his health is declining. His handler calls him "bright" and "happy."

PHOENIX - K-9 Brian retired about three years ago due to medical issues and since then, he’s been enjoying retirement life, but now his health is declining and on Wednesday, people came over to say their goodbyes.

"We took each other through a lot of tough tests. A lot of hard times and anytime I was down, I would get up in the morning and go to the kennel and he would be bright and happy and ready to go to work," says his handler Todd Tischer.

He's is an explosive detective K-9 handler at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

Tischer and brian were partnered together since the start of the K-9 program in 2013. For five years, the chocolate lab sniffed and cleared travelers at various areas throughout the airport.

"His special skill is that he’s able to detect odor on moving targets and crowds of people and follow its source," Tischer said.

Brian is the first dog of his type to do this, but after five years of service, Tischer recognized there was something wrong. He came to discover his partner had a very serious heart condition and was forced to retire.

"He’s been retired three years. Every day I get up with my new dog and Brian is there walking us to the door and he looks a little disappointed when we leave but he also enjoys his retirement. He goes and takes a nap and hangs out with my wife and enjoys himself," Tischer said.

Brian is still playful, but very sick, so some colleagues came over to say goodbye as Brian can go at any time. For Tischer, he says what gets him through this difficult time is reciting the rainbow’s bridge poem.

"Your dog passes and they wait for you in this wonderful place and then when you pass, the dog sees you coming across the rainbow bridge on your way to the gates of heaven and he runs to join you and you go through it together," Tischer emotionally said.

Tischer says once you become a partner with a working dog, it’s a lifelong bond.

He's starting up a nonprofit to raise money for retired military and police dogs across the country. More information can be found here https://bit.ly/31Cx87a.