In Memory of K-9 Deputy Sam
On 8-30-10 K-9 Sam lost the fight to a fungal disease called Blastomycosis.
Sam was a 7 year old chocolate lab and his specialties were narcotic, cadaver detection and tracking.
Sam started working as a law enforcement K-9 in January of 2004 for Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office along with his owner and handler Deputy Mark Matranga.
In 2007 Sam and Deputy Matranga gained employment with Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Office where Sam worked until he became ill.
Sam has conducted several narcotics and cadaver searches in his 6 years of service. He also played a big part in teaching the kids at Laredo Job Corp, where Deputy Matranga would instruct how to handle and train working dogs.
Sam was also 1 of the many K-9s that worked the Lower 9th Ward after Hurricane Katrina. Sam’s happiest time was doing school demos for the kids of both parishes. He always had a way of bringing a smile to the kids’ faces and becoming their friend.