K9 program to be shut down amid outcry from former employees
It's been over a month since Luke Miederhoff has seen his best friend.
"Probably 40 days now since I've seen him," said Miederhoff.
CBS News Colorado previously reported about K9 handler Luke Miederhoff, who worked with German shepherd "Dodger" for private security firm Denver Metro Protective Services, or DMPS.
The two were separated after Miederhoff quit, following issues with payroll. Since then, he has been fighting the company demanding management retire Dodger.
Despite a vet recommending Dodger be retired due to severe kennel anxiety, he still hasn't been.
"I'm concerned for his safety and of course the mental health of the dog," said Miederhoff.
Miederhoff isn't the only one worried about Dodger.
"We rescue and rehome German shepherds," said Maria Chavez, a board member with the Front Range German Shepherd Rescue.
RELATED: Fort Collins Police bid farewell to K9 Inox as he retires after 7.5 years
The rescue placed Dodger with DMPS in 2020.
"One of our volunteers sent an email to all the board members because she saw the story and was like 'oh my god that's our dog,'" said Chavez.
Chavez knows firsthand how bad Dodger's kennel anxiety is. So after watching CBS News Colorado's story, she reached out to DMPS.
"We wanted to get him back because we don't want him sitting in a kennel. We don't want him somewhere he can deteriorate, because we know that we can place him. We can find him a home somewhere he's gonna thrive," said Chavez.
Chavez says the rescue even offered to refund Dodger's adoption fee, but says she never got a response from DMPS.
"There's definitely some concern for us with Dodger, we just want to make sure that he ends up in the right place," said Chavez.
Since taking Dodger from Miederhoff, DMPS placed him in the care of K9 handler Mike Billadeau.
"Through all the checks not clearing and the way we were treated, the biggest reason I hadn't left yet was because of the dogs," said Billadeau.
Billadeau cared for Dodger and his own dog, Jeter, until DMPS removed them both from his home last week.
"Yesterday I was notified that they were eliminating the K9 program and my position had been eliminated and the dogs were no longer our concern," said Billadeau.
This left Billadeau suddenly without a job, and, like Miederhoff, without his best friend.
"We're with these dogs 24/7. We live with them, we work with them, we spend more time with them than we do our families. So it is rough," said Billadeau.
Now both men hope the program's termination will reunite them with their dogs.
RELATED: Former Denver K9 handler calls for dog to be retired, claims he's owed backpay
"I miss my dog a lot. I just want to get him to a place where he can just be a dog again," said Miederhoff.
Denver Metro Protective Services tells CBS News Colorado the current K9 program has been terminated and they are reevaluating. It's not clear what this means for the dogs in that program.
The former handlers expect the dogs to be retired now that the K9 program has been terminated. But that hasn't been confirmed by DMPS.
The company also told CBS News Colorado, "Dodger is safe and being cared for pending full evaluation beyond the emergency vet paid by a former disgruntled employee."
Billadeau, Miederhoff, and another former handler have filed a lawsuit against DMPS related to payroll issues. They allege they are owed backpay and were not fully compensated according to fair labor standards. DMPS tells CBS News Colorado they do not comment on ongoing litigation.
