40 years after the death of Chonino, the German sheepdog who marked history

1996 – DAY OF THE DOG. National Dog Day is celebrated in honor of Nowthe German shepherd of the Federal Police who died on June 2, 1983 while defending his wounded master in a shootout with criminals.

The German shepherd was born in April 1975, and just two years later he was chosen to be part of the Dog Division of the Federal Police. Quick to understand, he was part of the security operation in the opening match of the 1978 World Cup, which was played at the Monumental stadium between Germany and Poland.

Chonino worked with a guide: Petty Officer Luis Sibert, who in turn shared tasks with another agent, Jorge Iani. On June 2, 1983, in short, the lives of the three of them were going to change.

While they were touring Villa Devoto on a routine patrol, they wanted to identify two suspects on General Paz y Lastra avenue. However, when they were asked for the documents, the criminals fired at the police officers and injured Sibert and Iani.

Observing his guide on the ground, Chonino pounced on the criminals and jumped on one of them, tearing the pocket of his jacket. The other attacker, who was watching from the side, shot the German Shepherd in the chest, seriously wounding him. With the last of her strength, Chonino crawled towards his lead and died beside him.

After the confrontation, the police found that Chonino, now dead, was still clenching a piece of the jacket of the offender he attacked in his jaws: it was the pocket of his gamulán and inside were the documents that identified him. Thanks to this heroic act, the thugs were arrested 5 days later in the province of Buenos Aires, where they had fled.

Chonino’s remains currently rest in the Circle of the Argentine Federal Police and those of his guide Luis Alberto Sibert, who died 25 years after the episode, on December 13, 2007, in the Chacarita Cemetery.

Source: own and agencies.