Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1184236
3 0 M ACO N M AG A Z I N E.CO M | O C TO B E R / N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 9 LOCAL BUZZ AC PUP THE DYNAMIC DEPUTY DUO I HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN we have an awesome Bibb County Sheriff's Office. The leadership is incredible and I have the utmost respect for Sheriff David Davis. I really appreciate how he cares for animals and is intolerant of animal abuse and cruelty in Bibb County. I'm also delighted with the Bondable Pups program Sheriff Davis implemented to help people and animals. One of the most fascinating parts of the Bibb County Sheriff's Office is our five amazing K9 teams. K9s and their partners work as a team, train as a team, live as a team and fight crime as a team. Deputy Travis Carlisle and K9 Nala are one of these magnificent teams. Nala is a Belgian Malinois who will be 3 in October, and Deputy Carlisle has had her since she was 6 months old. They've gone through extensive training to equip them both to make Macon-Bibb a safer community – and Nala is not just a pretty face. While some K9s learn one skill – such as how to detect explosives, guns or narcotics – Nala is highly trained in two skills. She not only knows how to detect narcotics, but also is trained in tracking. Nala and Deputy Carlisle love their jobs and are excellent at them, too. The list of their accomplishments and awards continues to grow as they work to get drugs and criminals off the streets. But this dynamic deputy duo has made a significant impact in another meaningful way. Deputy Carlisle and Nala used their advanced skills to help in a medical emergency. Since Nala is brilliantly trained in tracking, she successfully helped locate a lady who was missing due to a health condition. Upon learning of the lady's disappearance, Deputy Carlisle and Nala didn't hesitate to head deep into the woods to find her and seek medical help for her. I can only imagine what a blessing this was to her family. What a gift it is to have people and animals working together to benefit an entire community. Deputy Carlisle and K9 Nala have figured out how to make that happen. They are an extraordinary team and they make us proud. – AC Pup DEPUTY TRAVIS CARLISLE AND K9 NALA. PHOTO BY KRISTINA CARLISLE.