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Zack Keithy, our author, is a certified veterinarian technician (UC Blue Ash) for over 6 years (contact him here). The articles written here are based on his expertise and experience, combined with a review by our expert vet reviewers including Dr M. Tarantino. Learn more about us here.
A dog named Chloe, who was living on the streets of Deming, New Mexico, at the start of 2026, has become the first rescue dog to graduate from the U.S. Border Patrol Canine Academy in El Paso, Texas. She completed the program as a Critical Incident Response Canine on May 15, 2026, and the Border Patrol delivered its first canine oath of office to her the same day. She was sworn in by Stephen D. Crump, director of the academy, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Chloe’s path began on January 29, 2026, when she was taken in by the Deming County Humane Society. Less than two weeks later, she was placed on the shelter’s euthanasia list. On February 10, 2026, the Animal Rescue League of El Paso pulled her from the shelter and brought her to its facility. Loretta Hyde, the league’s founder, recognized Chloe’s abilities and potential, and Chloe was later selected to enter the CBP canine program.
Chloe is now assigned to Border Patrol agent Miguel Carrillo at the Baton Rouge station. Since her first day on the job, the pair have deployed across the Gulf Coast region to support CBP employees, their families, and partner public safety agencies. The Critical Incident Response Canine Program was established after the May 24, 2022, mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and its handlers complete a five-week certification course at the academy that covers obedience, critical incident response training, and deployment preparation with the assigned dog.
Carrillo described Chloe’s journey as proof of what patience, purpose, and a second chance can do, and said her work is already making a meaningful difference. Adam Calderon, acting chief patrol agent of the New Orleans Sector, said her story shows the power of second chances.
My thoughts: The timeline is the striking part. Chloe went from a shelter euthanasia list in early February to a sworn-in working dog by mid-May, roughly three months, and it happened because one rescue organization looked at a stray in a crowded shelter and saw more than the shelter could. It’s also a reminder that a lot of dogs sitting on those lists have skills nobody has had the chance to find out about yet. Keep in mind that the details come from CBP’s own release and the coverage built on it.
Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection
