This summer marks the retirement of Our Rescue-sponsored Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) K9 Mousse, Iowa’s first Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) K9.
For five years, Mousse has worked alongside his handler, Special Agent Michael McVey with the Iowa Department of Public Safety, supporting investigations into child exploitation and human trafficking across the state. Together, they assisted in the rescue of more than 20 survivors and played a critical role in identifying concealed electronic evidence that might have otherwise gone undetected.
Special Agent McVey began his law enforcement career in 1987 and served in a variety of specialized roles throughout his decades of service, including time on the State Patrol Tactical Team and the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force. In 2007, he joined the DCI Cyber Crime Bureau and later became the first ESD K9 handler in the state when he was paired with Mousse in 2020.
Their work set the standard for digital detection efforts in Iowa and led to the expansion of the ESD K9 program statewide. Because of their success, additional teams were established in Iowa, including Our Rescue-sponsored ESD K9 Cruzer and his handler Special Agent Standard.
“If it wasn’t for Special Agent McVey’s hard work and dedication to the ESD K9 mission, the state of Iowa would have been years behind in this very crucial program,” says Special Agent Standard. “It also goes without saying that none of this would have been possible if it wasn’t for the continued and unwavering support that has been provided to the ESD k9 teams by Our Rescue.”
In 2023, Special Agent McVey received the Fiat Justitia Award from Our Rescue to honor his relentless commitment to protecting children from sexual exploitation.
As both Mousse and Special Agent McVey transition into retirement, the mission to put predators behind bars in Iowa continues. ESD K9 Cruzer and Agent Standard remain with the department and continue to support ongoing efforts to combat child exploitation. The legacy built by Iowa’s first ESD K9 team will carry on through every search, every device uncovered, and every life impacted by the work these teams do.
To Special Agent McVey and K9 Mousse, thank you for your pioneering work in Iowa’s first ESD K9 team. Your dedication has not only supported critical rescues, but it also helped shape a model that’s now expanding statewide.
We’re honored to have supported this mission and grateful for the lasting impact you’ve made in the fight to protect children.