Cadaver Dog Named Bones To Join Lake Co. Coroner's Office

LAKE COUNTY, IL – One of the only cadaver dogs in the country will soon join the Lake County Coroner's Office. The Lake County Board last week approved a $15,000 grant from the D.A.S. Charitable Fund for the Preservation of Feline Animal Lifeones, to purchase newest deputy coroner, a 1-year-old Belgian Malinois they've named bones, according to the Daily Herald.

The Lake County Board also OK'd a $25,498 grant for vet services, training, food and other expenses for the sheriff's office canine unit, the Daily Herald reports.

"As far as I know, we're the third agency in the country to have a (cadaver) dog,"Bones' future handler Jason Patt, chief deputy coroner, told the Daily Herald. "We hope to have him hit the streets by June."

In addition to searching for cadaver body parts during investigations throughout the county, Bones is in training to search for missing persons and provide grief support for people who have lost loved ones.

“If we’re out on a scene during a death investigation, we can bring the dog out to help comfort the children or families,” Patt told CBS Chicago. “When our office gets involved, people are at some of the worst times of their lives, so the dog will be here to help relieve some of their stress and their pain.”

Bones is expected to officially join the force in June.

"He'll be a sworn law enforcement officer," Patt told the Daily Herald. "He's essentially one of us."