Marietta Police K-9 to be auctioned off despite handler’s request to keep him

It is Interesting how some laws in some cities are writte. This Offi e & K9 partner both retired. The officer was prepared to give the city 3500.00

Instead he is told that his PARTNE has to be auctioned off. I didn't know if this fit better in rant pets. Nonetheless, this is a sad story. .. the good news a go fund me has been set up and there is several thousand dollars to support the cause. ..Applause

MARIETTA, OH (WCMH) — A Marietta police officer who retired earlier this week wants his partner to retire with him. Instead, the city says Ajax, his K-9 partner for the last four years, will be auctioned off to the highest bidder.

Officer Matthew Hickey retired on Monday after serving 30 years in law enforcement, NBC affiliate WTAP-TV reports. He wanted to Ajax to retire with him, but the city told him that wouldn’t be possible.

News quickly spread in the small community, and they started a GoFundMe account which raised $3,500 – the amount Officer Hickey was told Ajax was worth.

“I had the money for the dog and was ready to hand it to the the chief of police, and the chief of police said he couldn’t take it,” Hickey said.

L I N K

a reply to: ReadLeader

So... Who's with me, wants to pool our money, win this dog, and just give him back to the officer? I hope whoever wins this auction, if it isn't the officer himself, does exactly that.

a reply to: cmdrkeenkid

The dog should be got back by using public pressure. If its got back with money we might see a lot more dogs being auctioned!

a reply to: VoidHawk

It's just the way the law is written. Crappy law that needs amending, sure, but until then the city has to follow it.

A law enforcement officer who leaves an equine or canine unit of a law enforcement agency while the police dog or horse assigned to the officer is still fit for duty forfeits the right to purchase the animal under this section.

Ohio State Code 9.62 - Purchase of police dog or horse.

Somethings wrong in a world where dogs are auctioned off as property instead of retired like other officers.

a reply to: ReadLeader

I know this will make me an ass for saying it, but the fact that many K-9 officers use their dogs to "trigger" things that aren't there, and the fact that police are killing people's dogs without any punishment really doesn't make me feel bad for this guy.

Sure, maybe he didn't do anything like that, but I bet he did. Even in the town I live in, my wife was walking our dogs around some property near here when she saw a K-9 officer across the parking lot talking to some people. When he saw her, he opened his back door and his dog kept barking in her direction very aggressively. She ignored it and kept walking. When she was done with her walk and had to walk across the parking lot again, the K-9 officer's back door was shut. When he saw her again, he opened his door and let his dog bark aggressively at her again. If he'd have let his dog leave, or if the dog would've just left and attacked, well, who knows what would've happened.

So, yeah, I find it hard to feel bad for him.

originally posted by: cmdrkeenkid
a reply to: ReadLeader

So... Who's with me, wants to pool our money, win this dog, and just give him back to the officer? I hope whoever wins this auction, if it isn't the officer himself, does exactly that.

Doooo iiiit....!

In all seriousness, I hope for the same.

The law should include a provision though that if the city doesn't intend to keep it in service with the department, at THAT point, the partner should have the option for purpose.

I get it. They spent money training the dog, and it is a police asset. If the dog was going to another officer for duty, this wouldn't even be a story.

But, since the city seems to no longer be interested in using the dog for police work, THIS is where the guy should be able to adopt his former partner.