On Monday (Nov. 2), a Washington County K-9 hero passed away.
The Washington County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) lost one of its own, a 6-year-old Belgian Malinois K-9 officer, who had served the people of Washington County since 2011.
In a Facebook post announcing the loss, WCSO said, "It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Washington County Sheriff's Office K-9 Ranger."
Trained to locate illegal drugs, find lost articles and track lost people, K-9 Ranger had many accomplishments during his service and was a loyal servant to his community.
In 2016, Ranger was credited for saving a teenager's life when he led his partner to two hikers in the dark who had gotten lost at Lake Wedington. One of those hikers suffered from seizures, making the rescue even more urgent.
K-9 Ranger excelled at his job, particularly in searching for drugs, and on one occasion, he located 150 pounds of marijuana in an airplane.
WCSO said, "We are all saddened by the loss of K-9 Ranger, but none more than his partner."
K-9 Ranger worked and lived with his partner, Lt. Thomas (T.J.) Rennie and the two of them made a great team and had a very special bond.
Together, they received several awards from the National Narcotic Detector Dog Association (NNDDA) for high placement in national level narcotic detection competitions, where they competed against the country's top K-9 teams.
In fact, they placed in the top 10 in two of those competitions.
Washington Co. Sheriff's Office says goodbye to K-9
"Ranger had a servant's heart," WCSO expressed. "As long as we were good, he was good."
WCSO says Ranger's biggest accomplishment of all was the positive impact he had on people.
"Everyone loved him, and he loved them and their attention. He also loved food and the White River," said WCSO. "We will miss you, K-9 Ranger. You were a good and faithful servant."
Rest in peace Ranger. We appreciate the service and protection you gave.
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