Police Officer Demoted After Sending His Recently Retired K-9 Partner To An Animal Shelter

Dec 18, 2018 by apost team

It is hard to look at a dog and discern anything concerning his or her past. And if you visit an animal shelter, you will see rows and rows of dogs who would like to communicate their pasts to you but are unable to do so.

Some of them had loving families before being separated from them, others wandered the streets alone in search of ways to survive from day to day, and some would tell a tale difficult to believe if they could talk.

One such hard to believe tale is the story of Ringo. Ringo is a yellow Labrador retriever seen by Randy Hare on a website maintained by a local animal shelter. Hare recognized the dog and was both angry and sad to know the dog was orphaned in an animal shelter.

Ringo was no average pet. He was a well-accomplished narcotics dog trained by Hare himself. Ringo previously worked for the Jackson Police Department for nine years as a K-9 officer.

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Hare explained that Ringo deserved much better treatment after working for the department for nine years. Hare did a little research and learned Ringo had been retired from duty in November. A short time later, Ringo found himself homeless in the pound to perhaps live out the last years of his life.

Hare took matters into his own hands and adopted his old friend.

He speaks with more than a little sadness when he explains the treatment Ringo received is not uncommon for former K-9 officers.

Hare went on to explain there are cases where dogs working for law enforcement are treated really well. And then there are other times the treatment is quite bad. He says poorly treated dogs are seen as equipment and when that equipment no longer serves its purpose it is discarded.

He says it does not matter much how the situation with Ringo unfolded. It happened. He says he does not have much trust in the police department at this time and hopes they do better to address the best interests of K-9 officers. He expressed doubts this will happen.

Hare has trained dogs for forty years. He maintains a website devoted to the matter where he explains there was a time in his life when he thought he knew all there was to know regarding dog training. He says he progressed both as a human being and dog trainer once he understood that learning is an ongoing process.

Hare explains that he has most likely learned more from the dogs he has trained than they could ever learn from him.

Detective Carl Ellis was the officer who worked directly with Ringo for nine years. He has been demoted and reassigned to patrol duty due to his handling of Ringo's post-retirement life.

The Jackson Police Department has also announced plans to send out 'welfare checks' to dogs that work for the department to prevent a situation like Ringo's from happening again.

The department released a statement confirming its respect for K-9 officers and says the dogs are just as much a part of the JPD family as other officers are.

Ringo is fortunate to have a trainer with such a big heart. Hare will care for the dog for the rest of its life. It is too bad all dogs are not so lucky.

What do you think about this story? Do you think the police officer should have kept his K-9 partner? Let us know in the comments and pass this article along to your friends or family.