Yuma Border Patrol K9 retires after 7 years of service

YUMA, AZ — Kirpy the Border Patrol K9 has retired after more than seven years of Border Patrol service.

Kirpy is a Belgian Malinois and was born in El Paso at the CBP Canine Center on Thanksgiving Day in 2012 and was raised and trained at the Yuma Sector Border Patrol Canine Unit at just four months old.

He was trained to detect the presence of concealed humans and drugs.

According to a press release, "Throughout his career, Kirpy detected more than $85,000 worth of marijuana and hashish, more than $140,000 worth of methamphetamine, and several concealed humans. In addition to working at USBP immigration checkpoints, in the field, at the San Luis and Andrade ports of entry, and in support of other local law enforcement agencies, Kirpy also regularly participated in public demonstrations at schools, RV parks and at community events."

Kirpy's handler, Border Partol Agent Rolando Carbajal says they called him "Kirpy the Flying Dog," a name that became popular with kids that they would meet while visiting schools.

"That dog was awesome," said Special Operations Supervisor Mark Sims. "We used Kirpy whenever we had demos. He could do it all and his temperament was really good."

Kirpy was named in honor of a fallen Nogales Border Patrol Agent named Alexander Kirpnick, who had been killed in the line of duty on June 3, 1998.

During Kirpy's retired life, his handler Carbajal says, "he is living the life of a pet and getting to do everything with the humans in the house. His first outing as a retiree was on a fishing trip to the river. Carbajal said his oldest son has pretty much taken ownership of Kirpy and he now sleeps on a dog bed in his son's bedroom."

"He's loving retirement," Carbajal said. "He's able to come inside and hang out. Everything is new [for him]."