Probation Department’s Deputy Dingo Dies
The Orange County Probation Department’s first narcotics-sniffing dog, instrumental in the arrest of nearly 600 suspects during his nine-year career, has died.
Deputy Dingo, who was known to hundreds of children whose schools he visited, died of natural causes in late June at the home of his handler, Darlyne Pettinichio.
Dingo worked for the Probation Department from 1992 until his retirement last year.
After being trained to detect the scent of marijuana, heroin, cocaine and methamphetamines, the dog and his handler completed nearly 1,500 searches, detecting 377,853 grams of marijuana, 1,241 grams of heroin, 8,865 grams of cocaine and 36,330 grams of methamphetamines, according to a press release.
He also helped confiscate about $600,000 in drug-tainted currency, the release said.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
