LOCAL K-9: Wadsworth’s new K-9 officer ready to put best paw forward

PHOTO PROVIDED
Wadsworth K-9 Ares and handler Officer Zach West

By EMILY CANNING-DEAN
BGNN staff writer

WADSWORTH  After only a couple of days on the job, K-9 Officer Ares and his handler, Officer Zach West have been busy.
Completing a six-week training program at Excel K-9 Services in Hiram, West and Ares, a 1-year-old German Shepherd and Belgian Malinois mix, started their first shift as a team July 1. “We got to use him twice the first day and we just got off a call already today so we are getting in a lot of work,” West said July 2.

Ares is trained in narcotics detection, tracking, apprehension, building searches, area searches, article search and detection and handler protection. He has replaced former K9 Officer Zoro who retired in June.

“Zoro hit the road for us in November 2016,” said Lt. Dave Dorland. “He is now enjoying the retired life and is still living with his handler, Seth Petit. He was very loved here and had a great temperament. I think he will still be brought in for a a visit every once in a while.”

Knowing that Zoro’s retirement was coming up, the Wadsworth Police Department began working with Excel K-9 Services to find a new police dog and interviewed officers interested in becoming a K9 handler.

West, who has worked in the Wadsworth Police Department since 2022, said his interest in becoming a K9 handler grew over the years.

“I saw all of the things a K9 officer can do and I kind of fell in love with that,” he said. “I want to be active in my police work and not just wait for stuff to happen.”

West said Ares has been living with him and his family for a little more than six weeks and the pair have already bonded a lot.

“He loves to play. Every morning when I greet him at his kennel, he wants to have me throw the ball around and the first thing he wants is for me to pet him,” he said. “At first, he was a little timid, but I have let my wife and family pet him and some of my neighbors and I had been bringing him into the station to get used to people. It’s funny, because whenever someone would pet him, he would give me this look as if checking to see if it was OK. But he has gotten a lot more social. At his graduation on Friday, Lt. Dorland was there and he went over and leaned right into him to get a pet from him.”

West said Ares will likely serve the department for eight to 10 years. He said he looks forward to taking him to community events in the future.