Missing police dog turns up safe

Karen Zekan

Tuesday, Aug. 12, 1997 | 9:47 a.m.

Breston, a police dog who disappeared from his home amid Sunday's torrential storms, was found about 8 a.m. today.

The highly trained dog was found in good condition near Rampart Boulevard and Vegas Drive, a Metro Police spokeswoman said.

Metro officers and citizens had conducted an extensive search for the Belgian Malinois.

More than 500 fliers bearing color images of the 6-year-old dog went up on the valley's bulletin boards, store windows and telephone poles since Sunday evening when the search began.

The search party included off-duty officers lending their support on the streets alongside Metro's K-9 section, search-and-rescue team, and helicopters hovering overhead when not needed on other calls.

Citizens boosted the manpower Monday night, climbing behind the wheels of their vehicles on their own initiative to search neighborhood streets after learning from the media that Breston was missing.

"I really appreciate all the help the department and the public has given me to help find Breston," said his handler, Officer Steve Junge. "People have come out on their own to help pass out posters and to look. Support like that really gives you a good feeling about the people in this town."

A torrential downpour had hit Junge's neighborhood in the 3000 block of El Camino, near Spring Mountain Road and Jones Boulevard, about 5 p.m. Sunday when Breston's family found his outdoor patio kennel empty.

"The way the kennel door was opened inward makes me think that he must have pulled on the chain link and pulled the latch open on the door," Junge said, doubting that Breston would have quietly allowed a dognapper to open the door and let him out.

"There were no teeth marks on the door, but it's metal."

Neither Junge nor his family had slept much since. He had been pacing the streets, knocking on doors, and asking everyone he sees to be on the lookout.

Junge's father and his wife, with their 5-month-old baby boy, Hunter, in tow, also were making the rounds.

Breston is a medium-sized dog, about 70 pounds, slender, with a black nose and snout, erect ears, a skinny tail and a short-haired red and brown coat.

K-9 Officers Darin Garness and Mike Campbell spoke with three neighbors on Monday who remembered seeing a dog matching the description leaving the neighborhood.

Another person told police she saw a dog that looked like Breston about 2 p.m. Monday near Desert Inn Road and Mohawk, but at the time thought nothing of it, having not heard that the dog was missing.

All possible sightings have happened in the vicinity of Sahara Avenue and Jones Boulevard and north and west of that area, said K-9 Officer Mike Horn.

Metro's K-9 officers speak to their dogs in German, but Junge said the language barrier wouldn't have been a problem if anyone saw Breston.

By 10 p.m. Monday, Junge had searched in vain from Rainbow Boulevard east to Decatur Boulevard and from Desert Inn Road north to Charleston Boulevard.

"It's devastating," Junge said Monday night. "I spend more time with my dog than people do with their pets, and in K-9 we spend more time with our dogs than even our families. It hurts when you lose something that is that close to you."

Fortunately, Junge's pain turned to joy today.