Welcome K-9 Daisy-Kukui as Our 400th Program Member
Project K-9 Hero is proud to introduce retired Honolulu Fire Department Accelerant Detection K-9 Daisy-Kukui as our 400th Program Member, marking an exciting milestone in our organization's history.
An 11-year-old Yellow Labrador Retriever, Daisy served alongside her Handler, Michael Carter, for four years, responding to approximately 120 fire scenes throughout Honolulu. Daisy was the Fire Department's first-ever accelerant detection K-9. Established in 1851, her addition to the team was a huge milestone. She helped investigators identify ignitable liquids with a remarkable accuracy that played a critical role in arson investigations.
Outside of emergency responses, Daisy became a beloved ambassador for the Honolulu Fire Department. She participated in countless public demonstrations, school visits, and community events, winning hearts everywhere she went with her gentle personality and infectious love for belly rubs and kisses. “I think she is so smart and intuitive because she started off in guide dog school, then ended up in the accelerant detection K-9 program,” her handler, Michael, told us. “She got very popular quickly.”
When Michael retired in December 2021, Daisy was able to retire alongside him rather than be assigned to a new partner. “I was lucky,” he told us. “Not everyone gets to keep their dog.” Six months after retirement, Daisy and Michael needed something more to do, so they soon returned to Fire Department Headquarters. Michael served as a contractor and Daisy accompanied him daily, taking on the duties of an unofficial therapy dog for the Headquarters offices. “The chiefs were happy,” Michael said. “They felt she helped keep morale up and now she gets to eat healthy treats so she is in heaven. She knows every secret treat drawer at the different desks in this three-story building.”
Although retirement brought her lots of snacks, it unfortunately also came with significant medical challenges. Most recently, Daisy underwent emergency surgery to remove a cancerous tumor and continues to receive ongoing treatment for severe allergies.
Like so many retired working dogs, Daisy's medical care became the responsibility of her Handler after retirement. “Once we retired, I incurred all medical costs,” Michael said. “So for the last few years, it was on me. But she’s like my baby so I just dealt with it, like most people do.”
Her acceptance into Project K-9 Hero means those financial burdens will now be shared, allowing her family to focus on what matters most: keeping this remarkable K-9 Hero healthy, comfortable, and loved. “When Jason called me to let me know that Daisy was accepted, it was an honor that she would be known for what she did in her job,” Michael said. “But then it was also a huge relief financially. The stress of constant medical bills is overwhelming to most of us, so to get some help with all of this was huge.”
Reaching our 400th Program Member is a testament to the generosity of our supporters and our unwavering commitment to retired Police K-9s and Military Working Dogs.
“Daisy and our future just got brighter with her being accepted as #400,” Michael said. He also had a message for our donors:
“Mahalo from the Honolulu Fire Department for all the donors that make Project K-9 Hero possible. The amount of love that every Handler has for their K-9 after spending so much time with them is indescribable. I’m so grateful for being introduced to Project K-9 Hero and I’m so forever thankful for the love and care you folks give to people and dogs you never met. It’s so nice how the dogs bring us all closer together.”
We are honored to welcome Daisy-Kukui into the Project K-9 Hero family and look forward to supporting her throughout her well-earned retirement.
