In her eight years at Customs and Border Protection (CBP), she was responsible for around 350 interdictions of drugs carrying a street value topping $81 million, earning her awards and other distinctions. When not working to apprehend terrorists and drug traffickers, she participated in more than 100 anti-drug presentations at local schools and colleges.
Misha was a German Shephard who worked with retired CBP Canine Officer and Chapter 160 (CBP Brownsville) steward Sal Lopez. They were both retired when Misha died on March 22 in Lopez’s home in San Antonio, Texas. She had lived there as a “very spoiled, inside dog” for last five years of her retirement with Lopez, his family and the rest of their pets.
“Officer Lopez and Misha have been one of the most exemplary teams I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with,” said Chapter 160 President Donald Cadriel. “Their legacy will never be forgotten. Together, they served our country with vigilance and integrity.
The K-9 team of Lopez and Misha were the subject of an October 2013 article in the Brownsville Herald, where Lopez discussed the special bond between an officer and dog. The key to a successful career, he said, is making the work enjoyable for the dog and staying one step ahead of drug traffickers.
Lopez told the newspaper, “Our job as dog handlers is to expose the dog to a vast amount of masking odors. Masking can consist of electric tape, duct tape, cellophane, foil, peppers, mustard. You name it, that’s our job. They have endless amounts of resources. They have their own dog teams. They have their own professors. They have everything that we do, but theirs is in endless amounts.”
Like many other Canine Officers, Lopez shared a strong bond with his dog that went beyond the workplace.
“Misha was our companion,” said Lopez. “She added structure to our family daily, kept us active and helped us overcome setbacks and challenges in our lives, even providing a sense of meaning or purpose. We have wonderful memories of her, and she will live in our hearts and souls.”