Parks & Recreation Unleashes New Signs Honoring City’s Hero Dogs

In a fetching new tribute, the City unveiled new dog park signs that honor local four-legged heroes. Each educational sign features a photo of the dog and a short biography including what they’ve done to make a paw-sitive impact.  The Parks & Recreation Department (PRD) is placing the first batch of signs at 10 different Albuquerque dog parks.

“These dogs have served side-by-side with their officers and handlers to keep our neighborhoods safe,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “The signs remind us of the dogs’ skill and dedication to their job and their people.”

All of the signs in the first batch feature working dogs from Albuquerque Fire Rescue (AFR), the Albuquerque Police Department (APD), or the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office.

PRD installed the first two signs at Vista del Norte Dog Park and Westgate Dog Park. The Vista del Norte sign honors Louise (aka “Wheezy”), AFR’s first nationally accredited accelerant detection K-9. Louise attended the event with her handler, Lt. Ron Gunderson.

“It is an honor to work as Louise’s handler—she is gifted,” said Lt. Ron Gunderson. “Working as a team, and being her partner has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my career in the Fire Investigations Division of Albuquerque Fire Rescue.”

The sign at Westgate honors retired APD police service dog Zorko, who was responsible for apprehending over 80 violent felony suspects during his career.

“We wanted to paws, reflect on, and honor the incredible impact these dogs have in our community,” said Parks & Recreation Department Director Dave Simon. “This is a pup-grade to our dog park experience.”

The other eight dogs honored in the first round of signs include:

• Wrigley – AFR’s first crisis-response canine.
• Sjef – A retired APD police service dog who assisted with more than 200 captures. 
• Chack – A Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office service dog who assisted in operations that seized over $1 million worth of narcotics.
• Arco – An APD police service dog since 1989 who was injured during an armed robbery, still caught the suspect, and was awarded the medal of bravery.
• Jopy – An APD police service dog who attended and completed a rigorous national training course with his handler that included agility, swimming, searching, and rappelling.
• Lex – An APD police service dog who located more than 180 suspects on the run.
• Diesel – An APD police service dog who located a violent felony suspect in a resident’s shed that had escaped from custody.
• Gino – An APD police service dog who was key to catching a suspect in three bank robberies.

These signs serve as a lasting record of each’s dog service, preserving their contributions as part of Albuquerque’s shared public history. With 30 dog parks now located throughout the City, residents have more opportunities than ever to enjoy these spaces. Find a dog park near you at cabq.gov/dogparks.

The Parks & Recreation Department also invites the public to nominate dogs to honor at other dog parks. Nominations can be submitted to [email protected].