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Fun run supports Fish and Wildlife’s Karelian bear dog program

Jax, a 1-year-old Karelian bear dog, returns after a black bear release operation in Pend Oreille County to his handler, Washington Fish and Wildlife Department officer Keith Kirsch. (Rich Landers)
Jax, a 1-year-old Karelian bear dog, returns after a black bear release operation in Pend Oreille County to his handler, Washington Fish and Wildlife Department officer Keith Kirsch. (Rich Landers)

WILDLIFE -- A pet-friendly 5K fun run/walk will be held in Spokane Valley on Saturday morning, May 7, to give the public a chance to meet a lovable working dog while supporting the Washington Fish and Wildlife Department's Karelian Bear Dog program.

The run/walk will start at 9 a.m. (registration starts at 7:20) with a short introduction at 8:45 a.m. explanation of Jax, the newest addition to the state's six-dog program for managing bear, cougar and moose cases and research. The event is based at the Spokane Regional WDFW office at 2315 N. Discovery Pl. at Mirabeau Park.

Jax just returned today (May 6) from his latest mission of chasing and inflicting fear into a pair of former nuisance black bears that were captured and released in Pend Oreille County.

Participants in the Karelian Bear Dog 5K on Saturday are invited bring their own dogs on leash to support the program, which uses these unique dogs to help in non-lethal resolution of  bear-human conflicts. Requested donation: $35.

See the dogs at work below:

Rich Landers
Rich Landers joined The Spokesman-Review in 1977. He is the Outdoors editor for the Sports Department writing and photographing stories about hiking, hunting, fishing, boating, conservation, nature and wildlife and related topics.

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