K9 Faith Sniffs Out Retirement Bliss
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – A special four-legged investigator is hanging up her harness after nearly eight years of service. Accelerant Detection Canine Faith is retiring, leaving behind a legacy of dedication and success in fire investigations.
Faith has been a crucial member of the fire investigation team, working alongside her handler, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Mark Delaney, since 2017. Born at the University of Auburn, Faith received early training at a women’s prison in Florida before being selected by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to specialize in detecting petroleum-based accelerants used in fires.
Over the years, Faith has responded to more than 300 fire scenes, public awareness events, and training seminars. Her work has helped investigators determine the cause of fires and has played a key role in securing convictions in arson and homicide cases.
Among her fellow K9 agents, Faith is known as the “Queen,” making sure everyone knows she is the senior dog on duty. But as all Accelerant Detection Canines must retire between the ages of eight and ten, Faith will officially step away from her role on her ninth birthday, March 25, 2025.
Up until now, she’s been rewarded with food only for her work. In retirement, she’ll enjoy a well-earned change—eating from a regular dog bowl. She’ll spend her days at home in East Tennessee with Delaney, his wife, and their other dog, Scruff, as a beloved pet.
Faith is one of four K9 agents working in the program, and while she may be stepping away from active duty, her legacy will continue to inspire both investigators and future detection dogs for years to come.
Faith’s retirement marks the end of an era, but her contributions will not be forgotten. Her work has helped bring justice to fire investigations across the state, and now, she gets to enjoy a well-deserved life of leisure.
