Summary: Karelian Bear Dogs Saving Lives in Washington<br> Nick Jorg is an officer in the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife who works with Karelian Bear Dogs to manage bears and large predators in a non-lethal way.<br> <br> The Wildlife Service Dog (WSD) Program was established to provide an additional non-lethal option for resolving conflicts between humans and potentially dangerous wildlife. WSDs and their handlers respond to such conflicts. They also educate and assist citizens to reduce future conflicts.<br> <br> Five working Karelian Bear Dogs are helping investigate poaching cases, providing a deterrent to bears growing a little too comfortable with civilization, and even assisting police in a homicide investigation.<br> <br> The Karelian bear dog has been bred and used for centuries by hunters and farmers in Finland and Russia, but today they fill a unique role with the department. Among their many jobs:<br> <br> * Responding to complaints of problem bears and mountain lions throughout Washington.<br> * Assisting in “hard releases,” a non-lethal process designed to restore a bear’s natural fear of humans.<br> * Detecting and locating poached wildlife and other evidence.<br> * Visiting schools and public events around the state to help share WDFW’s mission.<br> <br> "The Karelian Bear Dog Program is 100 percent supported by private donations. Because this is a budget-neutral program, no funds are paid from the WDFW agency budget. By donating today, you can help support the mission of these hardworking dogs."<br> <br> To make a donation, send a check or money order to:<br> WDFW – KBD Fund<br> 16018 Mill Creek Boulevard<br> Mill Creek, WA 98012<br> <br> For more information:<br> <br> <a href="https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/enforcement/KBD" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/enforcement/KBD</a><br> <br> <a href="https://seattledogshow.org/2014/01/theyre-athletes-trackers-and-agency-ambassadors-karelian-bear-dogs-do-it-on-the-publics-donations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://seattledogshow.org/2014/01/theyre-athletes-trackers-and-agency-ambassadors-karelian-bear-dogs-do-it-on-the-publics-donations/</a>
