Wyoming Highway Patrol Mourns Loss of Drug K-9 “Flora”

The Wyoming Highway Patrol reports that one of the Patrol's K-9's, Flora, had to be put down this past week. Wyoming Highway Patrol Sgt. Stephen Townsend said Flora was a 6 year-old black Labrador Retriever and was certified by the National Police Canine Association to detect the scent of drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin. She was one of eight drug detection K-9's that the Wyoming Highway Patrol has deployed around the State.

During her 261 deployments she is credited with the confiscation of over 269 pounds of marijuana, 64 pounds of cocaine and 15.2 pounds of methamphetamine. This illegal drug amount would have had an approximate street value of just over $4,677,337.00. In addition to the drugs she was responsible for the seizure of over $22,819.00 in U.S. currency believed used in criminal enterprise.

Flora was diagnosed with cancer in her lungs and it had progressed far enough that she was euthanized after a veterinarian discovered that the cancer was inoperable. Townsend said they were unaware that Flora was this sick until this past weekend when the symptoms came on suddenly. He said the passing of Flora will be a great loss for the agency, but even a greater loss for Flora's handler and partner, Trooper Josh Undeberg.