'Celebrity biting' to help raise money for K

Updated: 04/15/2014 07:11:21 AM PDT

A fundraiser for the K-9 programs at the Red Bluff Police Department and the Tehama County Sheriff's Department will be held as part of the Red Bluff Round-Up activities 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, and local top cops are scheduled to take a biting.

A barbecue dinner will be served at the Pauline Davis Pavilion with the Budweiser Clydesdales on hand. For a $10 donation, people can enjoy the meal, take a picture with one of the Clydesdales and then enjoy the first ever 'celebrity biting.'

Chief Paul Nanfito and Sheriff Dave Hencratt will don bite suits - the protective, padded clothing worn by trainers of K-9 dogs - and then the K-9's handlers will instruct them to bite the two.

'It's a fun stunt,' said Red Bluff Capt. Kyle Sanders, to add to the fundraiser and show the public. 'When (the dog) is given the command by his handler, he'll do exactly what his handler commands.'

Sanders oversees the police department's K-9 program.

'I'm definitely looking forward to it because it's not too often one of our officers gets to attack his own boss,' Sanders said.

The Red Bluff Police Department has one dog in its K-9 program, a 4-year-old German shepherd named Many, whose handler is Cpl. Mike Brown. This celebrity biting is a unique opportunity, Sanders says.

'I have to think that his handler might be getting a little joy out of this assignment,' Sanders said.

This is the second year for the fundraiser, and money raised will go to both departments and be used for equipment, veterinary supplies and trainings for the dogs and handlers.

'It supplements our budget,' Hencratt said. 'We don't have a line item in our budget for the K-9 program, so it's nice to have a fund we can rely on to pay for things the handlers need or the dogs need.'

The Police Department may put some of its funds in savings.

'We like to make sure we have a sufficient reserve, in the event that something horrible occurs to Many, if he needs surgery,' Sanders said. 'We don't want it to be a question of if we can take care of him.'

The Sheriff's Department will also have T-shirts and car decals for sale at the fundraiser. Their two K-9 dogs are Booker and Strider.

This is the second year the Budweiser Clydesdales will be present. People can bring their own cameras and smart phones to snap pictures with the horses.

For more information, call the Red Bluff Round-Up office at 530-527-1000.