In South Coventry Township, Pennsylvania, four-year-old specially trained K9 Officer Yoda, was one of the heroes who captured the escaped prisoner Danelo Cavalcante on Wednesday.
According to Channel3News, Yoda is a Belgian Malinois shepherd and is a member of a United States Border Patrol tactical unit (BORTAC) from El Paso, Texas. Yoda helped Pennsylvania authorities track down Cavalcante who had been eluding authorities for two weeks.
Officers released Yoda early Wednesday morning after Cavalcante had been spotted; state police had surrounded the fugitive hiding in the thick underbrush. Authorities surprised him as they quietly approached. Cavalcante had been sleeping close to a rifle, but Yoda was quicker.
When the dog got to him, he then went flat with the dog on him .. the dog was able to detain him there. I was told the rifle was within arm’s length.
State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens
Yoda prevented Calvalcante from using his rifle after the dog bit the fugitive in the scalp and then biting and holding onto his upper leg. Calvalcante was in pain and finally surrendered.
Dogs are extremely important in law enforcement. Yoda had been trained to attack when commanded and taught to release the subject when commanded. And that is exactly what Yoda did.
As an aside, there are so many Belgian Malinois shepherds and German shepherds in shelters across the United States. Nearly everyday, we are writing about these wonderful dogs begging people to adopt them from the shelters before they are euthanized because of overcrowding. Imagine the canine lives that could be saved if authorities adopted these dogs and trained them too? Who wouldn’t love to read about a rescue pup being a hero dog just like Yoda?
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