Cop Heads To The Shelter To Pay Tribute To Fallen K-9 Partner

Nov 03, 2019 by apost team

Officer Shawn Humphreys and his K-9 partner Eiko bravely served the Lawrenceville Police Department in Georgia. The German Shepherd was considered one of the finest officers in his department. He was beloved by many in the community, and some decided to honor his memory by giving another dog a second chance.

Eiko’s career spanned five years, according to AJC. During that time, he assisted in the largest heroin bust in Georgia’s history. He also helped to apprehend over 100 criminals.

On July 14, 2016, Eiko succumbed to cancer. He was only eight years old. Many people in Lawrenceville were devastated, especially his partner, Shawn Humphreys. 

"He was one of the truest forms of a real police officer," he said at a memorial ceremony, as reported by Gwinnett Daily Post.

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Kristin Sarkar also took Eiko’s death hard. She is the founder of Releash Atlanta, an organization dedicated to matching shelter dogs with new homes. Sarkar had met Eiko sometime before his death when the Humphreys family visited her home for a photo shoot.

Sarkar wanted to help the Humphreys family honor Eiko’s memory, and she had found a dog at a rural shelter who had been slated for euthanasia.

The dog, a German Shepherd, had a leg injury that had probably been caused by a snakebite – and neither the shelter nor Releash Atlanta had the money to treat him. Sarkar took the dog and named him E.J. or Eiko Junior. She then asked the Humphreys if they wanted to foster him. They said yes, and E.J. was sent to live with them after having his leg treated.

E.J. soon made himself at home and even curled up beside Shawn Humphreys’ chair – in the same place where Eiko had once rested. The Humphreys couldn’t permanently adopt E.J. since Shawn was eventually assigned another K-9 partner. They did, however, give him a second chance at life.

Isn't it amazing how Eiko, in a way, managed to save another dog's life even after he passed away? Does your local police department have K-9 officers? Please post your comments in the box below.