WHEELING – The Ohio County Sheriff’s Department should have a second K-9 deputy on duty by the start of summer.

In May 2023, county commissioners approved a community grant from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to the Ohio Valley Wellness Coalition to purchase a “comfort” dog for the Ohio County Sheriff’s Department in the amount of $12,000. A dog was never purchased with the money, and the funding was set aside, explained Sheriff Nelson Croft.

In November, coalition members agreed with the department’s request that the dog should instead be a second drug detection dog for the sheriff’s department to replace K-9 officer Zorro, who has since been retired.

The department now has purchased a German shepherd for training in Germany, and his name is Orry. Orry’s handler will be Deputy Josh Varner.

Orry is expected to arrive in America on March 27, Croft told commissioners on Tuesday.

Once in the U.S., his training will take about six weeks. Croft expects him to be on duty sometime in late May.

On Tuesday, commissioners passed a motion to use an additional $16,647 in ARPA funds to purchase needed equipment for Orry, which includes a K-9 cage for a transport vehicle. The vehicle was among new autos already purchased for the department.

Orry will join K-9 unit Kronos in the Ohio County Sheriff’s Department. Kronos joined the department in the spring of 2025.

“He is doing very well,” Croft reported. “”He is a great dog.”