1st Pasco Golden Retriever K-9, Longtime K-9 Instructor End Watches

PASCO COUNTY, FL — After catching hundreds of bad guys and finding hundreds more missing people, longtime Pasco County sheriff's K-9 deputy Cpl. John Rux and K-9 Hela, the sheriff's office first golden retriever K-9, are hanging up their bullet-proof vests and retiring.

Rux was among the sheriff's office's first K-9 deputies. He was hired by the sheriff's office in July 1996 and became a K-9 handler in March 1998.

During his career, Rux worked with four K-9 partners: Emir, a patrol K-9; Sam, a patrol and narcotics detection K-9; Thor, a patrol and narcotics K-9; and, lastly, Hela.

During his career as a handler, he and his partners located more than 800 missing people and criminals. Additionally, in 2004, Rux became the sheriff's office's K-9 trainer, and has trained 118 K-9 teams in patrol and narcotics detection for 11 different law enforcement agencies.

Hela became the sheriff's office's first golden retriever K-9 in April 2018. Named for the sister of Thor in Norse mythology, the 6-year-old K-9 has been responsible for getting countless deadly drugs and the people who sold them off the streets of Pasco County.

The Pasco sheriff's K-9 unit is one of the largest and diversely skilled K-9 units in Florida, and now instructs law enforcement K-9 handlers and trains K-9 specializing in tracking missing people, finding drugs, explosives and accelerants, locating human remains and comforting people in crisis for agencies around the state.

Most K-9s and their handlers undergo more than 400 hours of training before becoming a certified team. Afterward, they continue to train weekly.

All medical care, equipment, training and necessities for the Pasco K-9s are funded by Pasco Sheriff Charities, along with Pasco County businesses, service organizations and individuals.

This includes funds for food and veterinary care once a K-9 retires.

Anyone who wants to help can donate here.