GiGi, a K-9 dog with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, is ready to call it a career.

She has been on duty with the sheriff’s department for nine years and will stay at home with her handler who has been instrumental with her training as a dual-purpose patrol dog.

Deputy Timothy Gondeck of Niles announced her retirement from the department at a recent meeting of the Cass County Board of Commissioners. He said she will live at his residence as his pet.

At this time, the department is not replacing her.

There is currently a search and rescue dog at the department used in the case of a missing person.

Gondeck said he has always had dogs and is with GiGi, a German Shepherd, 24 hours a day.

“To say you have a bond is an understatement. A dog knows what it wants and lets you know before you do it. It takes time to learn to trust the dog’s abilities.”

GiGi came from Budapest, Hungary as a 2-year-old, where she was born and trained.

“She was a dual purpose patrol dog and did building searches, tracking and narcotics protection.  Narcotics is her passion.”

Gondeck said a dog senses your emotions. “This goes right through the leash. They pick up every emotion that you have.”

Gondeck, 44, has been with the department for 12 years. He was chosen by Sheriff Joseph Underwood Jr. to be the handler in 2005.

GiGi has tracked criminal suspects, missing people and has searched buildings and vehicles. She rides along in the squad car in the back seat.

Gigi was imported by Rudy Drexler, a school for dogs in Elkhart. She was imported to Rudy’s and obtained a handler’s certificate at the school

One of her first searches was when the drug team was called by the Cass County Drug Enforcement Team. She was to search an automobile.

The team was certain there were narcotics but couldn’t locate them. GiGi made an aggressive response and started to scratch around. She went around for a second pass and began to scratch again.

“We got underneath the car where there was a hidden section where they kept the drugs. It was her training and my training that came together. It was exciting for her to find it. Without her, we probably wouldn’t have recovered them because the drugs were so well hidden.”

In one of Gondeck’s more daunting cases, he said they were called to a package distribution center to search for narcotics, noting it is common for dealers to use the shipping services.

“She successfully identified narcotics at the scene,” he said.

Gondeck said GiGi has worked with the City of Niles, the Michigan State Police, Van Buren and Berrien County.

“We even work with the Drug Enforcement Administration.”

Gondeck said GiGi has a dedicated work collar.

“That’s her version of her uniform. When her work collar comes off, she can be a dog. Then she is a pet.”

GiGi work collar has come off for good since Sept. 30 was her last day at the sheriff’s department. However, she will have a happy retirement with Gondeck at his home.