Clay County drug-sniffing K9 retired after Marijuana Legalization

With recreational weed now legal, K9 Blaze cannot establish probable cause for searches.

CLAY COUNTY - She's been a very, very good girl for six years — and now she gets to retire at home with her best friend.

The Clay County, Missouri, Sheriff's Office said with the legalization of recreational marijuana after the passage of Missouri Amendment 3, authorities must now retire K9 Blaze.

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Blaze has worked with deputy Larry Reeves and the Clay County Sheriff's Office since October 2016 after being trained as a drug-sniffing dog. She's trained to detect marijuana, but since it's now legal for adults to use recreationally, her skill is considered dated.

K9 Blaze can now no longer establish probable cause for searches since she can't tell officers what kind of drug she smells, only that a drug is present.

"But wouldn't it be cool if she could?" officials with the sheriff's department wrote in a post on Facebook.

Clay County Sheriff’s Office K9 Deputy Blaze

In addition, authorities said at the age of seven, Blaze is reaching the upper limits of her working years. Officials said it didn't make sense to reassign her or train her in a new skillset.

The Clay County Commission approved Blaze's retirement on Wednesday, and the transfer of ownership to her handler, deputy Reeves.

Officials with the sheriff's office said that in the last few years they have not been training canines on that scent in anticipation of this change to state law. Blaze was one of the last.

"Like she did when she was working, K9 Blaze will live with her handler in her retirement and enjoy lots of pets," officials said in the post on Facebook. "She will continue to be a very good girl."

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