K9 Abby: American Hero Dog Mourned In Jamestown And Beyond

JAMESTOWN, RI — She's missed already in Jamestown. A favorite volunteer with the Jamestown Police Department, K9 Abby also won a national reputation as a search and rescue dog. She was nominated several times for the American Hero Dog Awards. But she may have been happiest close to home. To the delight of school children at Jamestown's Melrose and Lawn Avenue schools, Abby was a frequent participant in the Island Treasures day, when the children meet island residents involved in creative and professional careers. Abby showed off her search and rescue skills; and although her pet siblings were following in her footsteps, Abby was the pack leader.

She started her career with the police department as a volunteer available for search and rescue assignments. But when a friend's dog went missing, Abby's owner LuAnn Botelho realized K9 Abby could find lost pets, too. Botelho did not charge for her services. Abby found lost cats hiding inside basement walls and under garden sheds. After people insisted there was nothing under the shed, Abby would keep pointing until someone finally found the kitty.

K9 Abby died Tuesday morning after a battle with cancer. The Jamestown police posted the sad news. They will never forget her, the officers said.