Texas Cop Comforts His Fallen Police Horse During Her Final Moments

Oct 10, 2019 by apost team

Horses who die in the line of duty are often missed just as much as people who leave us in the line of duty. This is especially the case for those officers who work closely with these devoted animals. One of those tragic moments occurred on Dec. 3, 2015, in Houston.

According to Today, Officer D. Herrejon had been patrolling the streets of Texas' largest city when his partner, Charlotte, a 6-year-old Tennessee Walker horse, was unexpectedly spooked, quickly spun around and got hit by a cement truck. As she was lying on the road dying, a heartbroken Herrejon did his best to console the animal who was taking her final breaths.

The accident was treated as a no-fault incident, and Herrejon was taken to the hospital as he was involved in it too, but he did not experience any serious injuries and was released shortly thereafter. However, it's assumed that what happened to his partner, who had been with the force for four years, has likely weighed on his mind in the days, months and years that followed. It's always tough to lose a partner in the line of duty, regardless of if that partner is a person, a horse, a dog or another animal.

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The Houston Police Department released a statement following the animal's death, saying about her,

"She passed her evaluation period with flying colors and was working the streets ... within a short time ... (and) was always ready to go to work putting bad guys in jail or giving nuzzles to children."

She was missed by all of those on the force as well as others throughout Houston and throughout the world at that time and since while a touching photo of Herrejon comforting Charlotte has gone viral over the years.

Have you worked with an animal in your profession or in a previous one? What was that experience like? How closely did you bond with it?