Misty at work

This is Misty and her trusted human companion, Steve Hatchett. They have been a team for eight years now, and while Misty is now very gray in the muzzle, she continues to do a wonderful job with the Maryland State Marshal's office. Misty is cross trained for accelerant and explosives scent detection searches, and certainly has a very dangerous job. She is responsible for going into an area first to make sure it is safe and that there are no bombs present that can cause injury to anyone.

Misty has been on call now, 24 hours a day, for the past eight years with her human buddy, Steve. As Steve recently spoke of his love for Misty, he admitted that he has spent more time with her than that of his own family. Sadly, though, just before Christmas 1999, Misty experienced a loss of appetite and lethargy. Tests showed that she had a large mass in her abdomen. Surgery was performed and two grapefruit sized tumors were found attached to her spleen. The spleen was removed along with the tumors. The Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office paid for the surgery.

The tumors were sent to a Pathologist who determined that they were cancerous. The surgeon recommended chemotherapy, but the State Fire Marshal's office concluded that they would not put any more money into K-9 Misty's treatment. It was also concluded that K-9 Misty would continue working as long as she was medically able to. Beyond that point she would be retired. However, Steve paid for Misty to have a chemotherapy treatment on January 7, 2000, at his expense.

Since that time, Misty and Steve appeared on WJZ-TV Channel 13 in Baltimore so that this brave girl's story could be shared. Tim Williams was responsible for this segment airing on January 13th, 2000 to help in getting the necessary funds for Misty's treatment.

March 22, 2000: Steve just wrote to let us know how Misty is doing. She has had four chemotherapy treatments at this point. Misty had not been bothered by them initially, and was eating well. This last treatment, though, seemed to upset her stomach. But after several days, she now seems to be back to normal. Misty had an ultrasound last week to see if everything remained clear and tumor free. Thankfully it was normal!

Misty has been hard at work with Steve, and recently served on the detail when a presidential candidate came to campaign at the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland. But, she had some scary moments on the job recently. Misty and Steve were returning from a bomb call in Waldorf about two weeks ago when they were involved in an accident. Steve's emergency vehicle actually rolled over on its driver's side. But, luckily they were both uninjured. Steve figures that Misty must have thought this was some crazy training exercise her boss was putting her through, for a change.
 


Canine Sleuth ends Storied Career; Fire Marshal's Best Friend Succumbs to Cancer
By Ellen Sorokin, The Washington Times, May 25, 2000

Misty during happier times

Misty, an 11-year-old Golden Retriever, and her partner, Steve Hatchett, were best friends who never left each other's side in the nine years they were together.
   
The two worked together for the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office, investigating crime scenes and protecting one another from danger. They traveled to a country music festival in Cumberland, Md., every summer to provide VIP protection for performers - and to have some fun. Misty even lived with Mr. Hatchett and his wife and two children. "She was my partner," said Mr. Hatchett, a deputy state fire marshal and bomb technician, on Tuesday. "She was my constant companion."
   
They were best friends who stayed together until the very end, when Misty was put to sleep last Friday morning after a long battle with cancer. "I was there with her to make sure she was all right," Mr. Hatchett said, holding back tears.
   
During their life together, the two always looked out for each other. They survived falls through floors of burned-down houses during fire investigations. Once, Misty cut her nose during training, but quickly bounced back, never letting Mr. Hatchett down. "For someone who couldn't talk, we communicated pretty well with each other," Mr. Hatchett said. So when Misty was diagnosed with abdominal cancer last December, Mr. Hatchett decided to do all he could to help his partner beat the disease. "I wasn't going to give up," he said.
   
Mr. Hatchett immediately asked doctors to remove Misty's spleen and the two grapefruit-size tumors that surrounded it and begin administering chemotherapy to prevent other tumors from forming. "I didn't see any point to stop after surgery," Mr. Hatchett said. "I wanted to make sure I did everything I could to help Misty. She's my best friend."
   
Meanwhile, the community helped set up a trust fund for Misty that paid for her medical expenses, estimated at about $8,000. Mr. Hatchett said not all of the funds were used. The remainder will be set aside to help other members of the fire marshal's canine team that might fall ill. Over the next 15 weeks, Misty received five treatments of chemo. She slowly regained her appetite, and by April returned to work.
    Misty worked for the Fire Marshal's Office for the last nine years, since graduating from training, and was paired with Mr. Hatchett, who is stationed at Baltimore-Washington International Airport near Baltimore. At school, Misty was cross-trained to detect bombs and materials used to set fires. During her career, she and Mr. Hatchett received numerous letters of commendation for their work on hundreds of fire-related cases and for closing many of them. Last year, Misty received a letter of appreciation from Circuit Judge J. Frederick Sharer, of Allegany County for her investigation into a suspicious package that arrived at the judge's home last May.
   
"They were inseparable - they were more than best friends," said Mr. Hatchett's colleague John Brazil, a deputy state fire marshal. "Misty was like his kid. She was always with him. She always lay at his feet when they were in their office. They were always together." The two also provided detail service for dignitaries, including Pope John Paul II during his visit to Baltimore in 1995, Mr. Hatchett said. And Misty was well liked by those she protected. At the annual country music festival in August, Misty was so popular with the performers that they had their pictures taken with her.
   
When she returned to work last month, she provided security for President Clinton when he traveled to Annapolis April 11 to meet with Maryland Gov. Parris N. Glendening during a signing ceremony for the state' s gun-safety bill. "It looked hopeful that she was getting better," Mr. Hatchett said. But that presidential visit was her last day on the job.
   
Before the end of April, Misty had stopped eating again. She had already dropped from 71 pounds to 57 pounds in less than four months. Another tumor had settled in her abdomen - but this time it was inoperable, doctors said. Misty and her partner, however, continued their fight. Soon after the diagnosis, they traveled to Veterinary Oncology Services and Research Center in West Chester, Pa., where Misty underwent another dose of chemotherapy.
   
The tumor didn't respond to the treatment, and Misty was not strong enough to get another dose. So she went back home to spend her final days with her family in Bel Air, Md. When she became too weak to stand late last week, Mr. Hatchett said they decided to put Misty to sleep to end her suffering. "It was one of the hardest things I ever had to do," Mr. Hatchett said in a quavering voice. "I will miss her very much." 


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