OSP Fish & Wildlife Conservation K-9 team introduces new members

SALEM, Ore. (KPTV) - Oregon State Police is expanding what is known as its Conservation K-9 team with an adorable new member.

Scout, an 18-month-old black Lab, is the newest member of the OSP Fish & Wildlife Conservation K-9 team, working to put a stop to poaching in Oregon.

Scout and his handler, Trooper Shae Ross, were introduced Wednesday at the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife headquarters in Salem. They join K-9 Buck and Senior Trooper Wolcott, who were the first anti-poaching team in the state that started in May 2019.

The department says having two K-9 teams will allow them to do more wildlife detection and also help reduce the workload for longer investigations.

While Scout is still early in his training, he’s already impressing his handlers.

“He likes toys, he’s a big team player. He just loves playing with towels, king tennis ball. Just getting him that positive reinforcement that if he downs on something he’s supposed to find, he gets a reward, and he’s learning super fast which is great to see,” Trooper Ross said.

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The dogs are trained to track human scent for wildlife investigations, along with several different types of animals that are commonly poached, which includes deer, elk, turkey, bear, salmon, and steelhead.

Next, Scout will head out of state for several months of training with Trooper Ross and then will return to Oregon once he’s ready for work.

The two canine teams will primarily solve wildlife crimes, but can also assist with major crimes when needed.

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