City of Valley, dog trainer dispute responsibility of condition of K-9 kept in kennel for months

VALLEY, Neb. (WOWT) – Three years ago, K-9 Sonic reported for duty with Valley Police.

But his first handler resigned and his next partner has been in a four-month personnel dispute with the city, so during that time, private police dog trainer Ed Van Buren kept Sonic at his training kennel.

“They keep telling me the process was going to play out and the process didn’t play out,” Ed said. “It kept getting extended and extended and Sonic acted fine, but he lost weight because of kennel stress. Working dogs do not belong in a kennel.”

After the city took Sonic back recently, a veterinarian found Sonic had injuries consistent with neglect, malnutrition, and drastic weight loss.

“We were absolutely enraged,” said Jeff Farnham, the Valley City Attorney. “This should not have happened. This kennel where the dog was located is one we’re familiar with that trains these types of dogs and there was no reason for anyone to think this type of thing migth occur.”

But the veteran dog trainer blames Valley city officials for waiting almost four months to pickup Sonic.

“Leaving in the kennel environment, that’s what the neglect was,” said Ed. He lost all that weight, he tore up two of my kennels, he would bit the chain-link fence. Because he’s a working dog and he was confined to a kennel basically, for lack of a better word, going nuts.”

And resident Desiree Katsampes, who testified at the city council meetings, says more answers are needed about Sonic’s condition and the police dog’s future.

“The city dropped the ball on this,” said Desiree. “People of Valley would like to see the dog brought back to valley and given back to the trainers who had him previously so he can retire and live out the rest of his life.”

In 2021, Sonic had the drive for police work and Valley residents who helped raise money to buy and train the K-9 hope Sonic will be strong enough again to either go back on duty or retire to a loving home.

Ed says he warned the city of the dogs stress three months ago and said that he couldn’t take the dog out for training himself due to liability. In a statement on its website, the city outlines their concerns about the dog’s condition while at the facility and that Sonic’s health and safety are a top priority.

The dog is now staying with an officer on the Valley Police Force.

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