Loudoun County Fire Investigator William Bud Herndon and his partner, Jimmy, a female canine accelerant officer, were presented with a lifetime care certificate from the Briggs Animal Adoption Center earlier this month.

Through the generosity of BAAC, Jimmy will be provided with a lifetime supply of food and veterinary care, Chief Fire Marshal Keith Brower said. We are truly grateful for the kindness and care that the Briggs Animal Adoption Center has provided to Jimmy.

Bud and Jimmy started their investigative partnership in March and are one of only 82 teams in the country that are certified by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Although Bud and Jimmy are with the Loudoun County Fire Marshals Office, if needed, they can assist other local, state and federal law enforcement agencies across the country.

Since March, with her highly trained nose, Jimmy has collected seven key pieces of evidence while investigating 11 fires that have totaled nearly $2.2 million in damages and also involved a triple fatality.

These investigations were conducted in Loudoun County, Warren County and Washington, D.C. When not investigating fires, Bud and Jimmy enjoy making educational and therapeutic appearances throughout the area.

BAAC is a program of The National Humane Education Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, with a mission to foster a sentiment of kindness toward animals.

One way BAAC furthers this mission is by supporting proper animal stewardship, like the human/animal partnership of Bud and Jimmy as they serve the public good and reaffirm the intrinsic value of animals. For more information on BAAC, visit www.baacs.org.