Welcome to Penn Vet’s new website. As we make finishing touches, you may experience brief delays in certain areas of the site. We appreciate your understanding as we work to ensure the best possible user experience.

    Research & Bio-Detection Dogs

    These canines contribute their superior sniffing skills to the critical research initiatives underway at the Penn Vet Working Dog Center.

    A Golden Retriever

    Atlas

    Registered Name: Atlas

    Breed: Labrador Retriever

    DOB: December 4, 2021

    Gender: Male

    Kennel: Susquehanna Service Dogs

    Foster: Sarah Levin

    Job: Detection Research

    Dalton

    Registered Name: Dalton

    Breed: Labrador Retriever

    DOB: February 14, 2020

    Gender: Male

    Kennel: Generously donated by Chiron K9

    Foster: Amritha Mallikarjun

    Job: Medical Detection

    A German Shepherd

    Osa

    Registered Name: Osa

    Breed: German Shepherd

    DOB: April 4, 2014

    Gender: Female

    Kennel: vom Kugelblitz Kennels

    Foster: Annemarie DeAngelo

    Legacy: Named in honor of Osa (Handler Laura LoPresti) who deployed to the World Trade Center following the attacks of 9/11.

    Job: Medical Detection

    Video: Osa’s YouTube

    Vauk

    Vauk

    Registered Name: Vauk

    Breed: Labrador Retriever

    DOB: January 24, 2021

    Gender: Female

    Kennel: PVWDC

    Foster: Dr. Cindy Otto

    Legacy: Named in honor of 9/11 victim Lt. Cmdr. Ronald James Vauk, US Navy.

    Job: Medical Detection

    Video: Vauk’s YouTube

    Future Working Dogs

    Dogs that complete our comprehensive training program go on to careers in public health and safety including search and rescue, law enforcement, and conservation detection.

    If you’re interested in one of our dogs for your next K9 partner, contact us at wdcinfo@vet.upenn.edu.

    A shepherd mix

    Aiesha

    Registered Name: Aiesha

    Breed: Dutch Shepherd

    DOB: May 19, 2024

    Gender: Female

    Kennel: Donated by Dr. Karen Wroblewski-Tundo in memory of Asheley McCleary, DVM.

    Foster: Rachel Miller

    Legacy: Named and sponsored by the McCrane Foundation

    Job: In training

    Allin

    Allin

    Registered Name: Allin

    Breed: German Shepherd Dog

    DOB: November 17, 2024

    Gender: Male

    Kennel: Julia Norton VMD

    Foster: Morgan Schamroth

    Legacy: Named and Sponsored by Bill and Kathie Hohns

    Job: In training

    A lab sitting on stone

    Anka

    Registered Name: Anka

    Breed: Labrador Retriever

    DOB: November 16, 2024

    Gender: Female

    Kennel: James & Samantha Plackemeier

    Foster: Trinity Bass

    Legacy: Named in honor of Glassboro, NJ, PD K9 Anka

    Sponsored by: John Moore

    Job: In training

    Puppy yellow lab

    Cody2

    Registered Name: Cody2

    Breed: Labrador Retriever

    DOB: September 1, 2024

    Gender: Femail

    Kennel: Donated by Newfound Retrievers in honor of Ruth and Glenn Freeman 

    Foster: Kristin Tederstrom

    Legacy: Named in honor of K9 Dusty (Handler Patricia Grant) who did not deploy following the attacks of 9/11 but served as a “control” dog in PVWDC 9/11 research study. Named in honor of former PVWDC Training Manager, Pat Kaynaroglu’s first search K9, Cody.

    Job: In training

    Shepherd mix brown dog

    Emma

    Registered Name: Emma

    Breed: German Shepherd Dog

    DOB: January 12, 2024

    Gender: Female

    Kennel: Qwick vom Eisenraben x PVWDC

    Foster: Emely Urbina

    Legacy: Named in honor of K9 Emma (Handler Dennis Ciesla) who did not deploy following the attacks of 9/11 but served as a “control” dog in PVWDC 9/11 research study. 

    Sponsored by: Anonymous Donor

    Job: In training

    Yellow lab puppy

    FloJo

    Registered Name: FloJo

    Breed: Labrador Retriever

    DOB: March 27, 2024

    Gender: Male

    Kennel: Folklore Canine

    Foster

    Legacy: Named in honor of K9 FloJo (handler Beckie Stanevich), who was not deployed following the attacks of 9/11, but served as a control dog in the PVWDC 9/11 research study. 

    Job: In training

    Shepherd mix puppy

    Lucca

    Registered Name: Lucca

    Breed: Belgian Malinois

    DOB: July 24, 2024

    Gender: Female

    Kennel: Donated by Dr. Karen Wroblewski-Tundo in memory of Asheley McCleary, DVM

    Foster: Vilok Parimi

    Legacy: Named in honor of explosives detection K9 Lucca who was employed by the United States Marine Corps for six years. K9 Lucca was deployed twice to Iraq and once to Afghanistan. In her over 400 missions, no human fatalities occurred under her watch. In 2012, while on patrol in Afghanistan, she was injured by an IED blast, resulting in the amputation of her left leg. After recovering at Camp Pendleton, Lucca officially retired in 2012 and was adopted by her original handler, Gunnery Sergeant Chris Willingham.

    Job: In training

    A brown and white spotted dog.

    Mollee

    Registered Name: Mollee

    Breed: German Shorthaired Pointer

    DOB: September 24, 2022

    Gender: Female

    Kennel: Apple River Sporting and Detection Dogs

    Foster: Sonja Lee Chen

    Legacy: Named in honor of K9 Mollee (handler Julie Jones) who was not deployed following the attacks of 9/11 but served as a “control” dog in our 9/11 research study.

    Job: In Training

    Puppy lab

    Olly

    Registered Name: Olly

    Breed: Labrador Retriever

    DOB: December 27, 2023

    Gender: Male

    Kennel: Anonymous Donor Bred by Jenn Brown

    Foster: Melissa Esterly

    Legacy: Named in honor of K9 Molly (Handler Jennifer Kandlik (Browning)), who was not deployed following the attacks of 9/11 but played a critical role as a “control” dog in WDC 9/11 research study. 

    Sponsored by: Anonymous Donor

    Job: In training

    Yellow lab puppy mix.

    Penny

    Registered Name: Penny

    Breed: Labrador Retriever

    DOB: July 28, 2024

    Gender: Female

    Kennel: Three Cedars Retrievers

    Foster: Tzuriel & Katie Sapir

    Legacy: Penny was named in honor of the important role that the Commonwealth and the University of Pennsylvania have played in the success of the PVWDC. Twelve years ago, Socks, one of our first puppies, was bred and donated by Three Cedars Retrievers, and since then, they have donated Gus, Scout, Lucas, and now Penny.

    Job: In training

    Ryan

    Registered Name: Ryan

    Breed: Belgian Malinois

    DOB: February 2, 2025

    Gender: Male

    Kennel: Integrity K9 Training

    Foster: Kailee Johnson &  Amanda Collins

    Legacy: Named in honor of Hatboro Police Officer Ryan Allen.

    Job: In training

    Stevie

    Registered Name: Stevie

    Breed: Belgian Malinois

    DOB: February 2, 2025

    Gender: Male

    Kennel: Integrity K9 Training

    Foster: Puppy foster: Julia Sirois

    Legacy: Named in honor of Warrington Police Officer Steve Plum.

    Job: In training

    Spring

    Spring

    Registered Name: Spring

    Breed: Labrador Retriever

    DOB: March 7, 2025

    Gender: Female

    Kennel: Darkmoon Farms and Kennels

    Foster: Bella Samuels

    Legacy: Named in honor of NJ-TF1 K9 handler, Spring Pittore.

    Job: In training

    A shepherd mix

    Sovaan

    Registered Name: Sovaan

    Breed: Dutch Shepherd

    DOB: July 8, 2023

    Gender: Male

    Kennel: Donated by Angela Lane in loving memory of her daughter, Asheley McCleary, VMD, bred by Northwoods and Thunderhawk Dutch Shepherds

    Foster: Bob and JoAnne Dougherty

    Legacy: Named in honor of K9 Sovaan (Handler Anne LeJeune) who was not deployed following the attacks of 9/11 but served as a control in our 9/11 research study. 

    Job: In training

    Vega

    Registered Name: Vega

    Breed: Labrador Retriever

    DOB: January 24, 2021

    Gender: Female

    Kennel: PVWDC

    Foster: Vincenzo Spigonardo (puppy foster: Kat & Ivan Zorn)

    Legacy: Named in honor of World Trade Center victim Peter A. Vega, FDNY.

    Job: In training