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Officers donate equipment to military working dogs

| 24 Apr 2012 | 06:45
    From left, Wanaque police Capt. Ken Fackina and his police dog, Zula, Frank Yevchak, founder of Support Our 4 Legged Soldiers, and his dog, Lucky, who is the new ambassador for the group, and Wanaque police Officer Jamie Cappello are supporters of the group that send much-needed supplies and gear to military working dogs in Afghanistan.
    From left, Wanaque police Capt. Ken Fackina and his police dog, Zula, Frank Yevchak, founder of Support Our 4 Legged Soldiers, and his dog, Lucky, who is the new ambassador for the group, and Wanaque police Officer Jamie Cappello are supporters of the group that send much-needed supplies and gear to military working dogs in Afghanistan.

WANAQUE — This week, the Wanaque K9 division donated a full professional bite suit to help the kennel at Camp Phoenix in Afghanistan perform needed continuous training of their military working dogs and improvised explosion detection dogs. The bite suit was turned over to Support Our 4 Legged Soldiers for shipment to Camp Phoenix by Wanaque police Captain Ken Fackina. Fackina gives a basic obedience class; one of his students is a German shepherd puppy named Lucky, who is owned by Frank Yevchak of West Milford. Yevchak is the founder of Support Our 4 Legged Soldiers, a group that provides all sorts of equipment and treats to the dogs who help keep soldiers safe. Lucky is the newest ambassador for the group. She is following in the footsteps of Yevchak's beloved dog, Niki, who was the original ambassador for the group and who died late last year.

"The donation was made possible through the efforts of Capt. Ken Fackina’s basic K9 obedience class that he conducts twice a year to help fund the Wanaque K9 without the need of tax payer dollars," said Yevchak.

Yevchak also thanked Ray Allen K9 Equipment for their assistance in the donation for the military working dog teams.

This Saturday, Pequannock Girl Scout Troop #661 is doing a fund raising dog walk at the Pequannock Bark Park, located within Foothills Park on West Parkway, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. If it rains, the event moves to May 5.

Donations are always needed and appreciated, Yevchak said. If anyone would like to make donations to help Support Our 4 Legged Soldiers supply K9 teams with needed equipment or assist Fackina fund his K9 division, contact Yevchak at 4leggedsoldiers@optonline.net or Fackina at kfackina@wanaqueborough.com.