When an intruder made his way into the White House in 2014, one of the officers on the scene helping protect President Obama and his family was a Belgian Malinois named Hurricane.
Now 15 years old, Hurricane is enjoying his retirement with his handler, Marshall Mirarchi, a former Secret Service special operations K9 handler. But Hurricane has some pretty heavy vet bills at his age, and that can be an issue for those who want to take care of working dogs like him after they retire.
And so, like Hurricane reacting to a fence-climbing trespasser, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks) and Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) sprang into action. They filed the Honoring Our K9 Heroes Act. It would establish a grant program to fund nonprofits for veterinary care for retired federal and military working dogs.
Service dogs typically retire after eight years of work, Mirarchi told DVJournal. Most people don’t know that when a government service dog retires, they usually go to live with their handler. But the government no longer provides any funding for the dog’s veterinary bills, which are often quite steep.
Not every federal working dog has had as much excitement as Hurricane.
Around 8 p.m. on Oct. 22, 2014, the two were posted to the White House lawn when Hurricane alerted his handler and Mirarchi spotted someone climbing the exterior wall. He radioed his team and the intruder was apprehended. But he soon escaped and began running toward the White House again.
Hurricane sprang into action and chased the man down.
“Hurricane stopped him right before he got to President Obama and his family,” Mirarchi said, adding that the Obamas were just inside the front door of the White House at the time.
The man, who was high on PCP, tried to fight the dog off, repeatedly picking up Hurricane and throwing him to the ground until the canine “grabbed him” and held him. “He beat Hurricane within an inch of his life,” said Mirarchi.
Asked why he didn’t shoot the intruder who was hurting his dog, Mirarchi said he was not permitted to because the dog is considered “a piece of equipment,” not a fellow agent.
Hurricane had emergency veterinary care that night and he seemed to recover. But as the weeks went on Hurricane developed hip problems and was eventually forced to retire from duty.
Mirarchi started training with a new service dog, but Hurricane and the new dog never got along. Mirarchi gave the new dog to another handler and left the Secret Service, as well.
With his wife Lisa, Mirarchi started a charity, HK9 Hurricane’s Heroes, to help pay the vet costs for retired service dogs. The Mirarchis and their volunteers do not receive payment for their volunteer work with the charity. A fundraiser is scheduled for Aug. 24 in Sea Isle City, N.J.
While the bill introduced by Fitzpatrick would give $1 million a year to charities for retired service dogs’ veterinary costs through 2029, it would only pay for former federal agencies and military working dogs’ vet bills. Mirarchi’s charity would continue to cover retired municipal police dogs’ bills.
“These working canines are heroes and should be treated as such in retirement. They have dedicated their lives to keeping us safe. Like many other handlers, I’ve watched these canines spend a lifetime serving selflessly. They train and work countless hours to serve their communities stateside and their country overseas. They risk their lives leading the way, whether sniffing explosives or apprehending a suspect. They don’t just deserve this care; we owe them this care,” said Mirarchi.
The average cost of retirement per canine is $8,000 to $14,000, he said. And the dogs tend to live three to five more years after they retire to their handler’s care. The average cost of a yearly sponsorship for Hurricane’s Heroes is $2,525. Since 2020, Hurricane’s Heroes has sponsored 140 retired working dogs through the Paws of Honor veterinary care program.
Many handlers, especially those enlisted in the military, have trouble affording their retired dog’s veterinary bills, he said.
“If a dog has cancer, everything is on you,” said Mirarchi.
“Our federal and military canine heroes have stood by our side, playing crucial roles in defending our communities and country with unparalleled loyalty and selfless dedication,” Fitzpatrick said. “This common-sense legislation marks a pivotal step in honoring their service and sacrifice by providing them with the essential veterinary care they need in retirement and alleviating the substantial financial burdens placed on their handlers.
“We must ensure our retired working dogs receive the respect, support, and care they have rightfully earned. The time is now for us to stand up and protect them, as they have stood by and protected us.”
Mirarchi, who grew up in Delaware County, was recently inducted into the Hall of Fame at his alma mater, Springfield High School.
“It was super unexpected and very special,” he said.
Hurricane has received a number of awards. He is the first dog to receive the Animals in War and Peace Distinguished Service Medal (2022), which put him into the “Guinness Book of World Records.”
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