November 10, 2021 4:00 a.m.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is introducing K9 Eros.

Lieutenant Brad O’Dell said Eros is a 3-year-old German Shepherd from Germany and was acquired by DCSO last week after testing several available dogs in California. Lieutenant O’Dell said funding for the new K9 was made possible due to a generous gift by an anonymous member of the community. Deputy Oscar Rosas, an experienced K9 handler, and Eros will be partnered together.

Lieutenant O’Dell said the team will bond and train together over the next several months before beginning to patrol together. For now, they will focus on building a bond and interacting with each other. Then Deputy Rosas and Eros will undergo a several week training program with a master trainer to become certified by the Oregon Police Canine Association.

K9 Eros joins K9’s Zoro and Ozzy at the Sheriff’s Office. The current DCSO K9 program begin in 2013 when the agency acquired K9 Grim, who passed away unexpectedly in September after serving for over 8 years.

Deputy Rosas said he is very excited for the opportunity to have K9 Eros as a partner and thankful for the opportunity to handle another dog. Lieutenant O’Dell said, “The support of our community who sees the value of these dogs as a policing tool is amazing. We are grateful for the support”.

The Sheriff’s Office K9 program is supported financially by private donations and the Friends of the Umpqua Valley Police K9 Programs. The mission of the non-profit organization is to support local police K9 teams. Bailey’s Veterinary Clinic provides medical care for the DCSO K9 program while Coastal Farm and Ranch Supply provides food.