Summit County K-9 Dies After Medical Emergency

DENVER (KDVR) — A 3-year-old dog working for the Summit County Sheriff’s Office died suddenly of a medical emergency on July 22, a Monday news release said.

Baby “Babe” Blue began her career with the sheriff’s office in July 2022. She was a German Shorthaired Pointer, originally from Hungary.

“We are saddened by the sudden loss of Babe, who served our community with loyalty and courage,” said Summit County Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons. “Her skill, dedication and cheerful personality will be greatly missed.”

Her handler, technician Sarah Frost, selected her when she was one. The two trained together at Vahne Liche Kennels, a training facility in Indiana, before the two began their partnership in Summit County.

Babe was trained in narcotics detection and tracing, and according to the sheriff’s office, she could track a person or their belongings with just a whiff of an item that contained that person’s scent.

Together with her supervisor, she worked on approximately 1,300 incidents, ranging from searching for missing persons to traffic controls.