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Veteran Richmond Bomb Squad dog retires: ‘It’s an emotional day’

Posted at 7:16 PM, Nov 26, 2019
and last updated 2019-11-26 19:16:05-05

RICHMOND, Va. -- A member of the Richmond Police Department's bomb squad, Shelby the lab, turned 11-years-old on Tuesday, marking the first day of her retirement.

Winnie, a 3-and-a-half-year-old lab will be taking her place on the team, said Officer Mark Castillo, Commander of the Bomb Squad.

Castillo, who handles both dogs, says it's an emotional day.

"Winnie's gonna be a great dog but she does have some pretty big shoes to fill but so far she's doing a great job," he said.

In her time serving the police department, Shelby the dog responded to hundreds of calls, dealing with suspicious packages, bomb threats, and sweeping public events like the folk festival.

Shelby also served in the military for two tours, finding over 600 pounds of explosives and 24 IIEDs, saving countless lives.

She'll be spending her retirement with Castillo and living life like a regular dog.

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