ROUND ROCK, Texas -- The Round Rock Express announced Wednesday that the minor league baseball team has donated a 22-month-old Belgian Malinois K-9 unit named Vada to the Round Rock Police Department.
Express owners Don and Bret Sanders bought Vada from Slovak Working Dogs overseas, brought her stateside and donated her on behalf of the team. The donation comes less than a year after RRPD K-9 Dega died from an inoperable tumor. She was honored for her service at an Express game about a month after her death.
“We are incredibly proud to present Vada to the Round Rock Police Department on behalf of the Round Rock Express,” Bret Sanders said. “After my dad and I heard of Dega’s passing, we wanted to help. This is just a small token of our appreciation for everything that RRPD does to keep not only Dell Diamond, but the entire City of Round Rock safe on a daily basis.”
According to the Express, Vada began her K-9 career in the patrol division but is quickly rising in the ranks. She was certified by the National Narcotics Detector Dog Association to detect the odor of marijuana, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and methamphetamines this spring. She even helped in the arrest of a narcotics criminal on the way home from her NNDDA certification.
Currently, Vada is being trained in article searching and tracking. She will soon be able to follow and track human odor and the disruption of the vegetative state to the source, the Express said.
This isn't the first time the Sanders family have donated to animal causes and law enforcement, according to the Express. Don founded the Houston Police Foundation and previously served as Director of the Houston Police Pension System. He also helped finance the state-of-the-art shelter and facility at the Friends for Life animal shelter in Houston. Additionally, the family donated two K-9 units and a horse previously to the Houston Police Department.
“We are very thankful and appreciative of the Sanders family and the Round Rock Express ownership group,” RRPD Officer Robert Ramos said. “Vada has been an amazing addition to the Round Rock PD family, as well as my family at home. She has surpassed my expectations and I could not be happier with her performance and where we are as a K-9 team.”
Express fans will have a chance to meet Vada on May 6 during Bark in the Park at Dell Diamond. She will be honored alongside Officer Ramos before the game. For more information on that game, click here.
