Two donations have brought in nearly enough money to obtain a new K9 for the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.
The sheriff department presented a certificate of appreciation Monday to Emmylou Wischmeier of Columbus, who along with her husband John, donated $10,000 just weeks after the retirement of Bolt, a German shepherd and Belgian Malinois mix.
When the police dog’s handler, Sgt. Kris Weisner, retired after 36 years of service on Jan. 20, so did Bolt after six years of service.
While being honored by the Bartholomew County commissioners Monday, Wischmeier explained why she made the donation.
After a lengthy spell of ill health, Wischmeier said she had set aside money for her family “if something happened to me.”
But when her health improved beyond expectations, Wischmeier said she decided to use some of her funds to make a meaningful donation to the community.
In exchange for her financial gift, the sheriff department allowed Wischmeier to select the name of the new police dog, which she said would be Shadow. She said she chose the name to honor a dog that lost her life while training to become a tracker.
On Tuesday, the sheriff’s department also thanked Real World Testing, a Columbus engine-testing company, for donating $4,000 toward the purchase of the new K9. The company had previously donated $18,000 to purchase the department’s second K9 Diesel, and also chose his name.
For more on this story, see Wednesday’s Republic.
