This Police Officer Lost His K9 Partner, Honors Him By Fostering A Dog In Need

When his K9 partner passed away, this officer decided to save another in his memory.

The community of Lawrenceville, Georgia is in mourning after the loss of their beloved K9 partner. Eiko, the eight year old German shepherd, lost his short but treacherous battle with cancer on July 14, 2016.

Eiko had been diagnosed with terminal cancer just one week before his funeral. The Lawrenceville Police Department held a memorial service for Eiko, to honor their fallen comrade. Friends and family of Eiko’s handler, K-9 Officer Shawn Humphreys, attended the service in order to pay their respects to the beloved hero, formally known as Holland Di Casa Sintiago.

Fellow officers, friends, and family gathered to remember Eiko.

 

Officer Humphreys and Eiko worked together for five years before his passing, and the two had formed an inseparable bond. Shawn Humphreys, who was devastated bay Eiko’s passing, spoke of him fondly at his memorial service at the Oak Rest Pet Gardens.

He was one of the truest forms of a real police officer.

Though Eiko was no longer saving lives on the streets of Lawrenceville, his legacy lived on in one last rescue mission.

One of the attendees of his memorial service was a woman named Kristin Sarkar, who was not only a friend of Eiko’s, but a friend to many dogs. Kristin Sarkar is the founder of Releash Atlanta, a rescue group that helps rehome dogs from shelters. She had the pleasure of meeting Eiko and his family before his passing, when they hired her to do a photoshoot. She too spoke fondly of the beloved K9.

Eiko passed away after five years of service with the Lawrenceville Police Department.

After Eiko’s passing, Officer Humphreys and his wife wanted to honor lost friend by saving one last life in his name. Teaming up with Kristin Sarkar and Releash Atlanta, they sought out to find a dog in need of fostering.

Kristin Sarkar had located a homeless German shepherd at a rural shelter in Georgia. The dog was injured, seemingly suffering from a snake bite, and had been scheduled for euthanasia. Kristin and Releash Atlanta pondered whether this dog would be a match for the Humphreys family. Given the dog’s health complications, the rescue process would have been pricey.

“We don’t have a lot of funds especially for an injured dog, especially with nowhere to go,” she said. “It wasn’t a dog we could take.”

Though Releash Atlanta and Kristin Sarkar had agreed that this dog would be too great of a risk, they had a change of heart shortly after leaving the shelter. They recognized that this dog, much like Eiko, had such little hope in this world, and was in need of a helping hand.

We have to go back and get that dog. Let’s do this!

EJ was rescued from the shelter just moments before being euthanized.

 

After some much needed medical treatment, the young German shepherd soon found himself in a loving home, with a large paws to fill.

Officer Shawn Humphreys and his wife couldn’t think of a better way to pay respects to Eiko than to continue his legacy in the dog in which he saved. They named the dog Eiko Junior, or EJ for short.

The whole thing aligned perfectly.

EJ found a way to fill the void of beloved Eiko.

 

As if it were meant to be, EJ made himself right at home.

On the first night at the Humphreys’, he decided that his job was to fill the void Eiko had left behind. Instead of sleeping on the bed his foster family gave him, he curled up in Eiko’s favorite spot, right beside Shawn Humphrey.

The Humphreys sent this photo to Kristin Sarkar to prove what an amazing choice she had made.

EJ is available for adoption through Releash Atlanta.

 

Officer Shawn Humphrey and EJ have been getting along like old friends for the past few weeks. Though they will always be close, the plan was never to keep EJ for long.

Officer Humphreys is expecting his new K9 partner shortly, and EJ will be looking for his forever home. If you are interested in adopting EJ, please contact Releash Atlanta at adopt@releashatlanta.com.

A special thank you to the Humphreys, Kristin Sarkar, and of course, Eiko, for giving this dog another chance at live.

In Loving Memory

In Loving Memory of K9 Officer Eiko.

 

Positively 2. Daily Post 3. AJC

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