Border Patrol Pup reared in Yuma withdraws

YUMA, Ariz. – A Belgian Malinois who was part of the El Paso Canine Center’s puppy program and grew up in the Yuma sector has retired after serving more than seven years at border patrol.

Kirpy was working on his last shift on Friday with his handler, border guard Rolando Carbajal.

Kirpy was born on Thanksgiving Day 2012 at the CBP Canine Center El Paso (CCEP) and handed over to the Yuma Sector Border Patrol Canine Unit for rearing and training at the age of four months. BPA Carbajal, a certified dog trainer, did most of Kirpy’s training and then became his dog handler.

Kirpy was trained to recognize the presence of hidden people and the smells of marijuana, methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and ecstasy. During his career, Kirpy discovered more than $ 85,000 worth of marijuana and hashish, methamphetamine worth more than $ 140,000, and several hidden people. In addition to working at USBP immigration checkpoints on site, in the ports of entry of San Luis and Andrade, and in support of other local law enforcement agencies, Kirpy also regularly participated in public demonstrations in schools, RV parks, and community events. In fact, public demonstrations are what Kirpy is best known for.

“That dog was great,” said Mark Sims, special operations supervisor. “We used Kirpy whenever we had demos. He could do anything and his temper was really good. “

Agent Carbajal said he was affectionately known as “Kirpy the Flying Dog”, especially by school children. Part of Carbajal and Kirpy’s regular school attendance routine was asking the kids if they’d ever seen a dog flying. He would tell them Kirpy was such a dog. Then Carbajal rewarded Kirpy with a toy after finding and drawing attention to a trained scent, and twisted it in the air while Kirpy clung to his toy. Kirpy literally seemed to be flying.

“The kids would just go nuts,” said Carbajal.

Kirpy was named by the CCEP after the fallen border guard Alexander Kirpnick from Nogales, who was killed on duty on June 3, 1998 while trying to arrest suspects of smuggling. CCEP often chooses fallen agent names for their canines to honor and remember them.

Now that Kirpy is retired, Carbajal said he lived the life of a pet and could do anything to the people in the house. His first outing as a retiree was on a river fishing trip. Carbajal said his eldest son pretty much owned Kirpy and he now sleeps on a dog bed in his son’s bedroom.

“He loves retirement,” said Carbajal. “He can come in and hang out. Everything is new [for him]. ”

Carbajal continues to work as a dog handler and trainer and is currently training with a new partner, a German Shepherd. This will be his third canine partner.

-USBP-

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