White Oak K-9 officer Argo dies

By JEFF STITT

jstitt@yourmvi.com

The White Oak community is mourning after learning that a four-legged public servant has ended his watch.

In a social media post, White Oak EMS Search & Rescue (WOSAR) said K-9 Argo, a 3-year-old German shepherd, suffered a medical emergency Thursday night as a result of an ongoing medical condition.

“We are saddened at the loss of one of our own today,” read the post on the organization’s Facebook page.

The search and rescue unit, a division of White Oak EMS created in 2005 to aid in search and rescue missions across the region, said Argo was taken to a local veterinary clinic, where he passed away with his handler JT Naviglia by his side.

Kristi Teklinski, a WOSAR member and one of Naviglia’s fellow K-9 handlers, said Argo was born with a liver shunt and had to be treated a few times over the past few years for the condition. She said the K-9 had to be euthanized as a result of complications with the condition.

Teklinski said Naviglia is a police officer, but Argo didn’t work as a police dog.“Argo was originally trained to be a police K-9, but unfortunately wasn’t able to make the cut since he had the medical issue and he didn’t want to bite anyone,” she said. “JT adopted him planning on giving him as best of a life that he could.”

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