Crime & Safety

Deputies, K-9s Reward Kids

Students at Factory Shoals Elementary School collected more than $1,844 for Chase Away K9 Cancer and Tuesday was their reward, a day of fun with the Douglas County Sheriff's K-9 Unit.

Children from School raised $1,844.79 for the ’s “Pennies for Police Service Dogs” penny drive. Tuesday was their reward, a day of fun with the Douglas County Sheriff's K-9 Unit, complete with touch-a-truck fun and a K-9 demonstration.

This is the third year that area schools competed to see who could raise the most money to help fight canine cancer. More than $10,500 was raised in the first two years. This was the first year area middle schools were included and more than $7,800 was raised this year.

"Last year we had more than 900 pounds of change," Douglas County Sheriff's Department Lt. Michael Barnhill said, local organizer for the event.

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The top three elementary and the top middle school receive visits from local K-9 units. school held a K-9 show Monday for the staff and students for being one of the top three elementary schools in the penny drive for Chase Away K9 Cancer.

"One hundred percent of the money goes to fund canine cancer studies and awareness," Cera Reusser said, founder of Chase Away K9 Cancer. Reusser lost her own working dog, Chase, when Chase was just six years old, to canine cancer.

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"This event means the world to me," she said. "It's off the map to see what these guys are doing in this community. This is the best event we do all year. This really gets the point across that every penny counts. Kids bring in their penny banks to help cure cancer in dogs, which will lead to curing cancer in people."

Reusser said her charity has raised more than $560,000 since she lost her own dog in June of 2006. Chase Away K-9 Cancer has funded 12 canine cancer studies, to date, with more grants to go, she said.

This is Reusser's third year attending the the Douglas County event. She comes all the way from Warren, OR. This year, she caught a 10:50 p.m. flight the night before and traveled all night to arrive at the Atlanta airport at 6:30 a.m. She brought her dog Elsie May, this year, the four-year-old granddaughter of the dog she lost to cancer.

No county funds were used to bring Reusser to Douglasville and Reusser does not collect a pay check from her nonprofit, still holding down a full-time job.

"I just want my Elsie May to live to a ripe, old age and every other dog to have the same chance," she said.

One in three dogs die of cancer and 50 percent of dogs older than 10 years of age, she said.

The Sheriff's K-9 Unit will be at today, a reward for the middle schoolers who brought in the most money his year.


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