Oklahoma military widow fights for return of husband's canine partner

MINCO, Okla. - The widow of a Minco police officer is fighting for the return of her husband's service dog.

Twenty-eight-year-old Sgt. Mycal Prince serviced in the National Guard for nearly 11 years before he was killed in an insurgent attack in Afghanistan in September 2011.

Nearly 17 months later, Surana Prince is battling to keep a piece of her husband close.

"When I hold her and she's around me, I get a little piece of Mycal," Surana said of Bayca, Mycal's service dog at the Minco Police Department and the family's pet.

After Surana lost her husband, she and her two daughters had to turn Bayca over to a new canine handler, but that handler has since resigned.

For each new handler, a canine officer must be retrained, so Surana looked at this as an opportunity for the family's pet to come home and the city to acquire a new canine officer.

Surana offered to pay $10,000 for Bayca's return.

"It would give the new handler a chance for a new start," said Surana.

Mayor Watson Mitchell said he wants the Prince family to have Bayca, but it's not as simple as returning her since she's city property.  Legally, Bayca must be bid out to the public, said Mitchell.

"We're making it available to her the only legal way we can, you can't just give it," he said.

Surana now worries Bayca may not come home if someone outbids her, but neither she nor her two daughters are giving up.

"She just gives us a little more hope every day," she said.  "When you haven't had it in 16 months, anything helps.

City councilors are scheduled to vote in March on whether the Prince family can have Bayca.

The family is asking for help raising money to pay for Bayca.  An account has been set up to receive donations at First National Bank and Trust in Chickasha (http://bit.ly/WuDOh5).

Visit Bring Bayca Home on Facebook (http://on.fb.me/XOw4UD).

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Information courtesy of KFOR-TV in Oklahoma City ( http://bit.ly/VIwfVh )