On August 14th, 2008, Terry Walker (President, Calvert Animal Welfare League) received a call from Mrs. Mariah Brazil who was in desperate need of help for her adopted, seven year old Belgian Malinois named Ziras.  He had been diagnosed with Intermediate Cell Lymphoma (cancer).  When presented with the very high estimate for treatment, Ms. Brazil began her search to find funding to help this boy.  Her search brought her to the ZimMiki - Injured Police Dogs web site.

Ziras was a police drug detection dog who was retired in July 2007 by the Brunswick County Sheriffs Department in Brunswick County, NC.  He was retired from service after suffering a back injury while apprehending a suspect.  At one point, Ziras was ranked 20th in the nation for drug detection and is considered a hero. 

A chance encounter between Ziras’ former handler and Mrs. Brazil set in motion Ziras’ adoption.  Ziras’ former handler was spending so much time with his new K9 partner that he felt Ziras wasn’t getting enough attention.  He placed a call to Mrs. Brazil, a meeting was arranged, and it was love at first sight for both Ziras and the Brazil family.

Ziras enjoyed a wonderful retirement with the Brazil family.  He wanted for nothing, especially love and attention.  Ziras continued to be a hero in his new home by alerting his new family to serious conditions.  Mr. Brazil suffered a seizure brought on by low blood sugar.  Ten minutes before this seizure, Ziras “went absolutely nuts.”  He kept barking and pacing.  He woke Mrs. Brazil up at 1:00am in the morning leading her to her husband.  If Ziras had not acted, Mrs. Brazil would have slept through the seizure and found her husband the next morning.  A few weeks later, their fourteen year old daughter was burned by hot grease on the stove.  Ziras’ frantic barking alerted a neighbor before their son was able to call for help.

In September of 2008, Ziras wasn’t eating well.  After multiple visits to his local veterinarian, it was diagnosed that Ziras’ condition was due to the original back injury.  He had developed an infection in his spinal column.  There was nothing that the local veterinarian could do so the next step was NC State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Raleigh, North Carolina.  Ziras started treatment at NC State’s oncology department and continued with treatment at his local veterinary hospital.

Ziras went into remission and stayed there for about ten weeks.  On New Year’s Eve, he displayed huge lumps on each cheek below his eyes.  By New Year’s Day, he was quite sick.  It was confirmed that he was out of remission.  Ziras’ former partner came to see him and brought him a new toy.  It was very sad because this visit was more of a good bye.  Ziras’ family was very grateful to have him for one year.  They spent their last days taking many pictures and cherishing the extra time that the ZimMiki – Injured Police Dogs Fund gave them.