Mariners Care silent auction to benefit Retired Seattle Police Canine Fund

Donation is tribute to SPD K9 Dennis, who worked as Safeco Field bomb dog

On Saturday, June 6, when the Mariners meet the Tampa Bay Rays, fans can bid on unique autographed and game-used items from current and former Mariners players at the regular Mariners Care Saturday Silent Auction.

A portion of the proceeds from the auction will benefit the Retired Seattle Police Canine Fund, a 501(c)3 organization that raises funds to help pay for the care of retired SPD police dogs. The donation will be made in honor of Dennis, a member of the SPD Explosives Detection Unit who worked with Officer Craig Williamson.

Dennis and Williamson regularly performed security sweeps at Safeco Field before Mariners games. Dennis, who died last week after a battle with cancer, was popular with fans and Safeco Field staff and even had his own baseball card. Funds raised through the auction may be used to help defray the cost of Dennis's chemotherapy treatments.

Silent Auction
The Mariners Care silent auctions are held every Saturday home game. They feature a variety of autographed items including jerseys, baseballs and bats, some of them game-used. Each item has a minimum opening bid, minimum raise and a buy-it-now guaranteed price. All items can be viewed during Saturday's game at Section 128 on the Main Level of Safeco Field. Bidding will be open through the 6th inning.

Dennis
Dennis was originally trained as a guide dog, but Officer Williamson says he made a career switch "due to his curious nature." Dennis was trained to detect over 19,000 explosives combinations. Since 2009, the pair responded to over 1,000 calls. Together, the partners received numerous awards including Seattle Police Officer of the year in 2012, and SPD K9 Unit's Outstanding Service Canfield Award.

Dennis's baseball card lists his hobbies as "chasing sticks, playing with other dogs and squeak toys."

Retired Seattle Police Canine Fund
Retired police dogs generally live out the rest of their lives with their human partners. Once a dog is no longer on active duty, medical and other expenses become the responsibility of the officer rather than the Seattle Police Department. The fund helps defray the costs of veterinary expenses and medications that go beyond routine check-ups and vaccinations.