Pure Dog Talk

Karelian Bear Dogs Saving Lives in Washington 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. 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. 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. 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: Responding to complaints of problem bears and mountain lions throughout Washington. Assisting in “hard releases,” a non-