By Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE
The Chula Vista Police Department said a hard goodbye to one of their finest.
The department announced that K-9 Griffen, a Belgian Malinois just one month shy of his 7th birthday, was put down on Friday due to an undisclosed medical condition.
The police department shared a heartbreaking photo on Twitter of an officer with his head lowered to hug the dog and “trusted partner” at what appears to be a veterinary clinic.
“It was a hard day for all of us, especially Griffen’s handler and best friend, Officer Chancellor,” the California police department captioned the photo on Twitter.
“May you #RIP, Griffen. Thank you for your service to our Department and the city of #ChulaVista.”
On Instagram, they shared a happy photo of the pooch.
“Thank you for your service to the City of Chula Vista,” reads the post. “Rest easy, boy.”
Griffen spent his career often working through the night to aid the patrol division, Lt. Eric Thunberg said in a news release, according to the San Diego Union-Tribute.
The beloved dog also made many appearances at community events.
(Learn More about the Chula Vista Police K-9 unit. Courtesy of el samurai guapo and YouTube. Posted on Jun 15, 2010)
“Griffen will be remembered as a valued member of the Chula Vista Police Department and a loyal and loving partner,” Thunberg said, according to the outlet.
“It is hard to overstate the bond that a K-9 and his handler have when working long hours in dangerous situations.”
Original post http://people.com/pets/policeman-emotional-farewell-k9/
