Drug dog, counselor demonstrates for delegates

By Lexis Sherron

Correction: The Sacajawea Scroll incorrectly stated that Deanna Johnson assisted with the 285-pound drug bust in Friday’s newspaper. She also worked alone finding 30 pounds last December. The cloths drug dog Dina are rewarded with are made out of recycled clothes and donated fire hoses are odored in ecstasy, not soaked. Officer Tapia was also rewarding Dina for finding the ecstasy magnet. Additionally, the state of South Dakota owns the dog and the chose to have Dina’s stomach stapled to her chest. 

Finding 285 pounds of weed on a wooden trailer near Sioux Falls is a hefty amount.

Although it’s the largest bust drug dog Dina has uncovered, she also took part in a 30-pound marijuana discovery last December.

In a demonstration Thursday afternoon, South Dakota Highway Patrol officer and Girls State Senior Counselor Deanna Johnson brought Dina to show how a dog is able to search for drugs.

“Meth has been bad for a long time,” Johnson said regarding South Dakota’s meth issue.

Dina is trained to smell methamphetamines along with marijuana, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and mushrooms.

While Dina can smell the odor of drugs on objects, she has not been trained to attack people.

South Dakota Highway Patrol Officer Luis Tapia and Vermillion Police Officer Jessica Newman were also available to assist with the demonstration.

Encouraging questions from the delegates, Johnson slowly integrated her dog into the program.

Allowing Tapia to hold the cloths soaked in drugs, Johnson had him throw the cloths to show how quickly Dina caught a scent.  She also had an ecstasy magnet placed under the chair, and Dina instantly zoned in on it.

After being purchased from Holland for $8,900, Dina went through a rigorous training program with her owner Johnson before participating in traffic stops.

To Dina, this drug hunt is a game where she’s looking for her toy.

During training, PVC pipes were stuffed with multiple drugs and then used as a fetch toy.

After a week, the drugs were separated, and Dina was trained to seek them individually.

To keep Dina’s keen senses current, Johnson has been forced to get creative with her toys.  She uses pieces of her daughter’s worn-out leggings or firefighter uniforms to soak in ecstasy and then lets Dina search for them.

Johnson said law enforcement groups prefer to purchase more Belgian Malinois than German Shepherds because they have less health issues.

A fatal ailment unique to the Malinois is that their stomachs may flip sides.  Johnson avoided this by having Dina’s stomach stapled to her chest after having her spayed.

Currently seven years old, Dina is set to retire in three years.  Once she’s retired, Johnson will have the opportunity to purchase her for $1.