Sask. conservation officer wagging his way into retirement

One of Saskatchewan’s conservation officers likely got a pat on the head and maybe a belly rub when he called it a career.

The Ministry of Environment says service dog Jaks has retired after spending eight years as a K9 conservation officer.

Over his career, the 10-year-old Belgian Malinois helped conservation officers and other agencies on cases that resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines.

“One of his favorite parts of the job was tracking,” said Cpl. Jamie Chartrand, the ministry’s K9 handler for the past 14 years.

“Jaks tracked down numerous criminals during his career. This is often the most dangerous part of the job.”

Chartrand and Jaks have been fixtures at community events and schools over the years to educate the public on the best ways to use the province’s parks and resources.

The duo also has competed in various events, with Jaks finishing among the top five in the top dog category at the Canadian Police Canine Championships in Alberta.

After retiring, Jaks was adopted by Chartrand.

In mid-May, the ministry’s K9 unit replaced Jaks with a German Shepherd service dog named Tai.