After years of working with him, Zeus’ coworkers wanted to give him a nice farewell.
Animals should all be respected, but police dogs have an especially admirable job in our communities.
K9s are trained to work with the police and must be very well behaved to be able to handle difficult situations.
Police dogs have many jobs, and none of them are simple.
K9s are most often used for search and rescue, finding drugs, detecting fires, and finding dead bodies.
Police dogs can make a big impact when it comes to making an arrest. They also become close friends with their police handlers, so it’s very sad when they have to retire from the police force.
At the Ridgefield Police Department, the flag was raised halfway and a black cloth was hung above the entrance.
The police were saying farewell to a special person who was part of the team.
Zeus, a German Shepherd who worked for the police department for nine years, was given the same farewell that a human police officer would have received.
This would be the last time he would ride in a police car.
A line of police cars trailed behind Zeus’ car as it drove to the Ridgefield Veterinary Hospital. When they arrived, Zeus was put in a wheelchair and taken through a group of servicemen who were waiting.
An officer spoke before Zeus was brought in, saying,
We are sad to say goodbye and shed tears. He wore the Ridgefield police badge with honor.
Zeus was seen as a leader, and he helped officers capture many criminals.
He joined the police department in 2006 and has done amazing things since then.
Over the years of his service, Zeus has tracked down 50 missing or wanted people. He managed to find 6 people in dangerous situations and 6 suspects who had run away from crime scenes.
Now it was time for him to retire permanently.
Chief John Roche from the department said it was a great privilege to be with Zeus during his final moments.
He said, “I added.”
The disease he had made it very hard for him to survive and carry on.
Anyone who has owned a pet for many years knows the sadness of making the decision to have their beloved furry companion euthanized.
Sometimes it’s best to put an animal down – when their happiness and quality of life is so bad that they can no longer enjoy it. Zeus had a serious hip problem that got worse quickly after he retired from his job.
It’s clear that Zeus is gone, but people still remember him.
The Ridgefield CT Police Department recently posted on Facebook that they still feel the loss of their canine companion, even after five years.
The post ended by sharing some of the most important accomplishments of Zeus.
Zeus was an important part of our team and our neighborhood. We will always remember him and never forget him.
Zeus had a long and happy life, and it seems he really enjoyed being in the police force.
Not many dogs can claim to have had such an important job!
You can watch the video of Zeus’ last ride in a police car below. Caution: it is an emotional video.