Yerington NV – January 27, 2026 at the Smith & Mason Valley Retired Public Employees of Nevada Meeting at the Yerington Lions Club
Protecting Those Who Protect Us
Nevada Operational Canine Medical Group is a newly established nonprofit organization dedicated to improving medical readiness and survival outcomes for working K9 teams. With strong community support, the group provides specialized medical training and education tailored to the real-world conditions operational K9s face in the field.
The organization focuses on preparing handlers and emergency responders to manage critical injuries when immediate veterinary care is unavailable. Training emphasizes operational trauma and field care—not routine clinical treatment—and supports law enforcement, search and rescue, and other working K9 teams throughout Nevada.
Working K9s routinely operate in high-risk environments and may sustain injuries far from advanced medical facilities. The leading causes of line-of-duty K9 deaths include heat illness, ballistic and penetrating trauma, and mission-related emergencies. With proper training, preparation, and equipment, many of these injuries are survivable.
Instagram: @NVOPK9MEDGRP
Jeremy Hall, Co-founder of Nevada Operational Canine Medical Group, is a Fire Captain/Paramedic who grew up in Yerington, Nevada and returns home frequently to see his parents, Fred & Kathy Hall, who are members of the Bi-Valley RPEN.
The other two Co-founders of Nevada Operational Canine Medical Group are Tim Lobes, Fire Captain/Paramedic & K9 Handler of Meko; and Dr. Kate McConnell who is an Emergency Veterinarian at Animal Emergency & Specialty Center in Reno, Nevada.
Introduction of the Co-Founders of Nevada Operational Canine Medical Group, and demonstration with Yerington Police Department Officer Jared Adams with K9 Joker & Jeremy Hall volunteering for an arm hold with a tactical sleeve:
Bureau of Land Management K9 Officer Chase Walden and YPD Officer Jared Adams answer audience questions about being K9 Handlers, K9s in helicopters, etc:
K9 Handler Walden with his K9 Partner that was born in Azerbaijan and trained in Germany:
Nevada Operational Canine Medical Group began as the brainchild of Co-Founders Jeremy Hall and Tim Lobes who both work for the City of Reno Fire Department. They recognized the need for specialty training and trauma care for Nevada’s working K9. Jeremy and Tim recruited Dr. McConnell, and 7 months ago they began the non-profit 501(c)3 Nevada Operational Canine Medical Group dedicated to improving medical readiness and survival outcomes for working K9 teams.
The following video is a power-point that fully explains Nevada Operational Canine Medical Group‘s mission and includes the 2024 story of K9 Enzo of Las Vegas who was stabbed 17 times in the line of duty (and lived).
Community Partnerships are necessary to support Nevada Operational Canine Medical Group in equipping local K9 teams with lifesaving IFAK Individual First Aid Kits; providing Advanced Medical Training; and ensuring rural Nevada agencies are not left behind.
Dr. McConnell provides regular testing & veterinary oversight on the Nevada Working K9s. Each IFAK has specific medication amount lists, emergency veterinarian contacts, and Narcan for each individual K9 officer. K9 Handlers and their agencies, including law-enforcement, emergency medicine, fire departments, and air ambulances will be trained in trauma procedures for Nevada’s working K9s.
If you or your organization would like to be a community partner with Nevada Operational Canine Medical Group, scan one of the square QR codes at the bottom of this flyer for partnership information:
Click on a photo to enlarge:
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