K9 Nutmeg Retirement

K9 Nutmeg, a bloodhound, came to the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office in 2018 and quickly became a certified team with Sussex County Sheriff’s Detective Catherine Young.  Nutmeg is certified in tracking people and is trained to trail a specific scent once the scent is presented to her.  The K9 team of Nutmeg and Detective Young were both certified in the State of New Jersey and nationally through the National Police Bloodhound Association.

During Nutmeg’s career at the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office, she responded to over 250 calls for service, both within Sussex County and out of County, even responding to calls in Pennsylvania when needed.  She has tracked down criminals, missing persons, Alzheimer’s patients and has had a “lifesaving find”.  She has trailed in every form of weather from frigid temperatures to hurricanes to blazing heat.  K9 Nutmeg has achieved multiple evidence finds including guns, cell phones and stolen property. 

K9 Nutmeg enjoyed participating in numerous K9 demonstrations throughout the county for everyone from senior citizens to school age children. 

Detective Catherine Young stated, "Even after five plus years of working with K9 Nutmeg, she never ceases to impress me.  From tracking 2.5 miles straight up a mountain to find her person, to starting a trail off of nothing but a footprint in the mud, she has amazed me time and time again. Proud doesn't even begin to put into words how I feel towards Nutty and the work she's done. It’s been an honor to be on the opposite end of the leash from her."

K9 Nutmeg will be retired and will spend the rest of her life with Detective Young.

Sheriff Strada would like to thank K9 Nutmeg for her years of service to the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office as she will be greatly missed by the staff and the citizens of Sussex County. 

Picture provided:  Left to right:  Detective Catherine Young, K9 Nutmeg, Sheriff Michael Strada