Police Officers Stood In Formation Outside A Vet Office To Bid Police Dog A Final Goodbye

March 9, 2015

First it was one seizure, then a second and a third. For two weeks Shane Stephenson watched as his friend's decline took its toll.

Sultan, a 13-year-old German shepherd was ready for his final journey.

Maine officers salute dog
YouTube / Portland Press Herald

As Yarmouth, Maine's first police dog, Sultan chased suspects and sniffed out drugs across southern Maine, working with any department that needed him.

"It's been a struggle just to get him up on his feet," said Stephenson, the K-9 officer who took in Sultan as a pet. "There are some days when we’ve had to hold his head up so he can eat and drink."

Stephenson knew it was time.

To honor his life, police officers from around the state stood in formation outside the veterinary office, saluting Sultan as he was carried past them into the building.

Watch the emotional video below: