He was Davis County’s most famous K9.

As dogs become assimilated into the police force, communities now look up to two different police officers – the “man” and “man’s best friend” – and even if they come from different species, their heart to serve the community remains the same.

A couple of years back, a community expressed their immense gratitude to one of the K9s that served their county. Six-year-old German shepherd Rony joined the force when he was only 15 months old and dedicated the rest of his life to service.

But just like in all things, heaven will claim back its angels.

In their Facebook post, the Davis County Sheriff’s Office expressed their grief and gratitude when Rony passed away. They explained that their most famous K9 was battling various illnesses for several months before finally crossing the Rainbow Bridge.

“Our K9s are integral to enforcement operations and strengthen our abilities to respond to emergencies,” Sheriff Kelly V. Sparks stated in a press release.

“Rony had been struggling with medical issues for the last few months and was receiving care to address those issues.”

And in death, such as in life, Rony will never be forgotten.

When he entered the force, Rony was handpicked by Deputy Brad Larsen. The duo was inseparable ever afterward. They helped in various operations within their jurisdiction where Rony displayed discipline, bravery, and kindness.

As a police dog, Rony was trained in drug detection, patrolling, tracking and searching, and apprehension of suspects.

He also participated in community engagement programs like community CPR training and even went out to support a local kid-operated lemon stand.

In one case, Rony participated in a high-speed chase.

According to the Facebook post of the Davis County Sheriff’s Office, a suspect was able to steal the arresting officer’s cruiser. The suspect then fled the area in a police car and led the officers into a high-speed chase.

Through a PIT maneuver done by one of the officers, the suspect was successfully stopped. K9 Rony then apprehended the suspect and took him into custody.

Rony was also known for his participation in a reality TV show competition.

Rony and Deputy Larsen were invited to compete in the A&E series “America’s Top Dog.” The K9 competition is open to police and civilian dogs where they will compete through an obstacle course.

Donning his iconic dog goggles, Rony breezed through the course and showed the viewers his skills and reliability.

His participation brought together his community through watch parties and radio guesting. He even had a fan so far from Utah which only proved how loveable Rony was.

And as with superhero dogs, life as a police dog can have its challenges.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, Rony started showing signs of injury last April 2020 which required him to be medically evaluated. He was diagnosed with spine issues which worsened over time.

He passed away in his partner’s home. Rony is one of the three dogs in Davis County’s K9 unit.

Watch Rony’s amazing performance in the said competition in the video below.

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Source: Facebook – Davis County Sheriff’s Office, YouTube – A&E, KUTV, KUTV, Davis County Sheriff’s Office