FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska - Staff Sgt. Emir, an 8-year-old German shepherd military working dog assigned to the 28th Military Police Detachment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division was euthanized Sept. 7 when his physical condition deteriorated following a diagnosis of degenerative myelopathy.
Emir, a patrol explosives detector dog, had been serving the Fort Wainwright and Fort Greely communities since 2005. He also served in Ummeral, Iraq, from Dec. 2006 to June 2007, according to Staff Sgt Matthew Wilkinson, one his many handlers while Emir was at Fort Wainwright.
In addition to serving overseas, Emir and his handlers had done explosive sweeps to ensure the safety of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen; Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. George W. Casey, Jr. and First Lady Laura Bush.
Sgt. Christopher Hallisy was assigned as Emir's handler in August 2009 and unassigned (due to the dog's medical condition) July 7, 2011.
He noticed the dog's physical problems for the first time in May 2010, a month before Emir's 7th birthday, when coming around a corner during detection training Emir dragged his right rear paw like he had hurt his nails. He had never done that before, so was taken to the vet.
The original diagnosis was that the last three vertebrae in Emir's spine were fused together.
They considered sending him to Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, for surgery, but because of his age surgery was not an option.
The correct diagnosis was made almost a year later. In April, Hallisy and Emir completed required certifications and in May Hallisy went on annual leave.
"He was able to cert, no problem," Hallisy said. "I was able to work around his issue, then when I came back from leave, he couldn't walk on his own, he was falling down. In less than a month, he just went downhill a considerable amount, in just a blink of an eye."
Even though there was someone wanting to adopt Emir, that person was overseas and would be having surgery upon return. Taking that and the fact that Emir's quality of life was not what it could be, the decision was made to euthanize the dog.
Despite knowing that it was the right thing to do for Emir, it was not an easy decision.
"He was the happiest dog in the kennels," Hallisy said. "He was high spirited, he never wanted to quit. He didn't quit on us. I didn't quit on him as a handler. His disease just got too far along, his health and wellbeing was in jeopardy."
"He didn't show any pain, he just wanted to go out there and work. Right up until his last day, he would follow me, follow my hand. Never had any doubts with him. He was the perfect dog.
When it was time to work, it was time to play, everything with him was like a game, and he had a proud look to him. He was always thinking above and beyond. Going, going, always trying to please "dad" at all times. As a team, we were a guarantee; we were up to any challenge."
On Sept. 1, members of the unit were given a chance to say their goodbyes to Emir during the holiday weekend safety briefing. The poems "Creation of Man's Best Friend" and an adapted version of "Guardians of the Night" were read.
The day before he was put down "the kennel came together as a family and had a cookout," said Hallisy.
"My family came in. Everybody's wife and kids came in, husbands. We had past families come in. We were trying to give him the best day possible," he said.
Hallisy said they let Emir run around the kennel compound, playing with his favorite kong toy and was fed usually forbidden food such as burgers, hotdogs and anything his heart desired and all with the prior approval of the veterinarian.
"We wanted to feed him like a champ," Hallisy said.
Emir was put down at the Fort Wainwright Vet Clinic Sept. 7, surrounded by the dog handlers of the 28 th MP Detachment and held by Wilkinson and Hallisy. Hallisy now has Emir's kong toy, leash and choke chain at home to remember him by.
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