K9 fundraiser held for deputy

A fundraiser was held for Deputy Russell Anderson Friday, May 14 at Price Hardware to help raise money to acquire a K9 which will assist Anderson in cleaning the streets of Cass County of drugs. Food was provided in the form of barbeque sandwiches and a bake sale. The fundraiser was organized by Shelly Guthrie and started at 11 a.m, ending at 2 p.m.

According to Anderson, drugs are a huge problem in Cass County and something that many residents may not know or realize. “The more I keep finding drugs and the more I keep questioning people about the drugs, the more I keep getting the same answer; that Meth is on every corner of Cass County,” he said. “I’ve been here since January with Cass County and it’s crazy the amount there is.”

With Cass County being 960-square miles and most of it being trees, Anderson says that a K9 will be beneficial to the community in terms of tracking and sniffing out narcotics. However, he also assures that the K9 can be approached. “A lot of people, when they hear K9 they’re afraid to touch it. They’re afraid to get bit. Things like that. Now the dog, on certain situations like traffic stops and things like that, it will protect me, but you’re going to be able to come up to it and pet it. That’s the way the canine is going to be. It’s going to be a community dog,” he said.

Anderson’s goal is to raise $11,000, which will cover the costs of training the K9 and any supplies and food the K9 may need.