SitNews - Stories in the News - Ketchikan, Alaska

Governor Calls on Alaska Students to Help Name New Trooper K9’s

 

April 21, 2017
Friday PM


Groomingdales Pet Resort - BARK, a no-kill animal shelter - Ketchikan, Alaska

Ketchikan Humane Society

(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - Governor Bill Walker is calling on Alaska’s sixth-grade classes to help name two of the state’s newest trooper K9’s. The dog-naming contest is a part of the Governor’s plan to build a safer Alaska and combat the state’s growing opioid and heroin epidemic. 

“Drug dogs are critical members of law enforcement and help reduce the amount of illicit drugs smuggled into Alaska communities,” said Governor Walker. “This contest gets students involved in our efforts to reduce substance abuse in Alaska, and educates youth about the dangers of drug abuse. I encourage all Alaska sixth-graders to participate in this exciting contest to help name two of our newest K9’s. Our future leaders deserve to live in a safer Alaska.”

Students participating in the K9 naming contest will learn how drug dogs are trained, and about the dangers of using illicit drugs like heroin.

Each sixth-grade class can submit one name for each dog, K9A and K9B. The dogs’ names should be one to two syllables, and classes should avoid cute or scary names. Names with Alaska connections might be strong contenders.

The deadline to submit names for the K9’s is May 10.

Winning classes will receive acknowledgement from Governor Walker and Lt. Governor Byron Mallott, and a visit from the dog and its handler next fall.

In February, Governor Walker declared Alaska’s opioid epidemic a public health crisis and introduced a number of bills addressing opioid abuse and public safety.

 

 

On the Web:

K9 naming contest, contact Sharon Fishel with the Department of Education and Early Development at Sharon.fishel@alaska.gov 

 

Editing by Mary Kauffman, SitNews

 

Source of News:

Office of Gov. Bill Walker
www.gov.alaska.gov

 

 

Representations of fact and opinions in comments posted are solely those of the individual posters and do not represent the opinions of Sitnews.

 



Submit A Letter to SitNews

Contact the Editor

SitNews ©2017
Stories In The News
Ketchikan, Alaska

 Articles & photographs that appear in SitNews may be protected by copyright and may not be reprinted without written permission from and payment of any required fees to the proper sources.

E-mail your news & photos to editor@sitnews.us

Photographers choosing to submit photographs for publication to SitNews are in doing so granting their permission for publication and for archiving. SitNews does not sell photographs. All requests for purchasing a photograph will be emailed to the photographer.