Remember Maddy

More people should know about Maddy.

On Monday, September 16, 2024 Maddy was conducting a search for law enforcement in regards to a missing person. During that time, she came in contact with a toxic substance and spent the next four days fighting for her life. Sadly, on September 20, Maddy lost her fight and crossed the rainbow bridge with her family at her side.

Maddy’s life is one you read about in storybooks. On June 25, 2013, Southeast German Shepherd Rescue (SGSR) called the Piske family about a very high energy puppy found abandoned in a cemetery in Kentucky that needed to be fostered. The puppy was transferred to Raleigh, NC and the Piske’s jumped in their car and drove down to eval the puppy and decided to bring her home. She was the perfect candidate for a SAR K9!

In January 2016, Andrew and K9 Maddy became a state certified team. For the next eight and a half years, they responded to over 100 missions working with law enforcement across 50 counties/localities in the state of VA, as well as, federal agents from FBI, HSI, ATF, US Marshals, and NCIS. Additionally, Andrew and K9 Maddy traveled to Florida in 2018 to work with FL TF3 after Hurricane Michael made landfall.

K9 Maddy’s search efforts have resulted in numerous finds of victims, crime scenes, and weapons which have led to court testimony and aided in convictions.

One particular search, K9 Maddy found a subject who was in critical condition deep in the woods resulting in a life saved. From a small abandoned puppy to a hero.

We will miss you K9 Maddy, thank you for your life of service to the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Virginia SAR Program.

K9 Madison “Maddy”
February 25, 2013 – September 20, 2024

The K9’s in America are amazing. The dedication between the handler and the K9 is something hard to appreciate unless you have seen it.

https://m.facebook.com/GARDK9SAR/

https://www.yahoo.com/news/k9-maddy-helped-bigsby-case-035411584.html

Maddy was part of a larger team, frequently connected to Tidewater Search And Rescue but covered much of Virginia.

If you want to support their efforts: https://tsar.org/donate/

Yesterday there was a night training event in Williamsburg with the K9 team and SAR. The K9 team still ran the training even with the weight of the loss of Maddy. It is a testament to their efforts and to the level of dedication that these hidden figures work so hard to achieve even under such circumstances.

Hug your pups.