Please Welcome K-9 Chico #337

Please welcome K-9 “Chico” to the Project K-9 Hero Pack as our 337th Program Member. K-9 Chico honorably served with the Orange County Sheriff's Office, Florida, from 2016 to 2025, as a Dual Purpose Patrol/Narcotics Detection K-9.

K-9 Chico is a ten-year-old German Shepherd who spent nine years serving his community with valor and distinction. During the tenure of his career, K-9 Chico was responsible for the arrest of 190 criminal suspects, and for the seizure of over 5kg of illegal narcotics, totaling over $100,000 in street value. In addition, Chico successfully tracked and located three endangered missing persons. He took part in many community events, proudly representing the importance of working dogs in the greater Orlando area.

When Chico was just one year old and still in K-9 school, he was diagnosed with Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI) which is a genetic disorder. The decision was made for Chico to continue through training, getting the vitamin B12 he needed to remain healthy. To our knowledge, Chico is the only Dual Purpose Patrol Dog in the country that has worked with this condition. EPI causes the pancreas to stop producing the enzymes that allow the body to absorb nutrients. Chico cannot eat meals unless pancreatic enzymes are mixed into the meal. Chico was also diagnosed with Perianal Fistula last year, for which he is currently on several medications to control.

We understand that the cost of veterinary care is expensive, especially for an actively serving Sheriff’s Deputy working with a new K-9 partner. The very last thing we at Project K-9 Hero want to see is Chico go without the medical assistance he needs just because his bills were not affordable. Therefore, we decided to step up immediately and pay for Chico’s medical care at 100% for the rest of his life.