When someone retires from the police department, there is usually a big ceremony celebrating the officer’s years of service. This is also true of police K9s who devote years of their lives serving their communities. One K9, named Bear, even got to celebrate his retirement with a party just for him.

K9 Bear joins the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office

Originally named Moe, after a local Moe’s Southwest Grill donated the funds to help cover the German shepherd’s training and other expenses, eventually the dog was given the nickname Bear. The name stuck and he was paired with his handler, Deputy Brandon Abbott, with the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office.

Years of devoted service

For six years, Bear and Abbott used their skills to track down and locate missing people, as well as helping keep a variety of drugs, such as cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamines, off of the streets.

Bear also took part in community engagement programs geared toward community youth.

In addition to the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, Bear has also worked with law enforcement officials from the Abilene Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Homeland Security.

The life of a K9

Most K9s are trained from the age of a puppy for the job.

Of course, it all starts with testing each dog to see if they have the temperament and discipline to operate in the high-pressure situations that most police dogs find themselves in. Then, if the dog qualifies, it is on to training school where they receive their specialized training.

Once that is complete, usually, after years of training, the K9s are assigned to their handlers and begin the process of getting acclimated to the daily routine expected of them. In many cases, police K9s live at their handler’s home when not on duty. Fortunately, they do get some playtime when they are not serving their community.

Retirement

After many years of service, it is time for a K9 to retire. In most case3s, a K9 retires to live with their handler, but when this is not the case, they are sent to live with other members of law enforcement or the military. In most cases, a department will retire its canine units after about eight to nine years of service.

What’s next for K9 Bear?

As for K9 Bear, after retirement, he went to live with Abbot.

Before that, he was given a party to celebrate his time serving the community, where residents expressed their gratitude to the devoted K9. Bear also received congratulatory messages, with some of the party-goers encouraging Abbott to make sure and spoil Bear.

The party was just a reminder of how special Bear is and how much everyone appreciated his years of service.

For more on the celebration of K9 Bear’s years of service, check out the video below!

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Sources: Big Country Homepage.com, Facebook – Taylor County Sheriff’s Office