Most of us would probably think that dogs who work in the K-9 unit for the police department are treated very well. Typically, that is an accurate statement but one poor dog went through something that no dog should have to go through.

It wasn’t during the time that he was serving, Ringo worked hard for the police department and eventually was able to retire. Things went downhill from there.

The Jackson Police Department posted the news two months ago that Ringo and his partner in the K-9 unit, Alpha were due to retire. During the time that they were working, they served the community well and now they were going to spend their lives pampered as civilian pups.

“They served the city very well,” Detective Anthony Fox told the Clarion-Ledger. “Hundreds of thousands of dollars, uncountable seizures with narcotics. They can be a dog now.”

Ringo’s handler, Carl Ellis took him home and was supposed to give him a happy life. Just weeks after he retired, however, the police department found out that Ringo had been dropped at an animal shelter.

Even though he was highly trained and served the community well, he was brought to the Webster Animal Shelter in Madison, Mississippi. It wasn’t very long after the officer left him behind, however, that the trainer was contacted by the shelter.

Randy Hare is a trainer at the Alpha Canine Training Center. He is the man that is responsible for all of the awesome skills that Ringo displayed while he served on the K-9 unit. When he found out what was done to the dog, he jumped in his vehicle and went as fast as he could to rescue him back.

“I don’t know that there is a word for being both hurt and mad, but I was both of them. And I still am,” Hare explained. “You know it’s just, you just don’t turn your back on something like that. Next thing we knew, we got a call from an animal shelter in Madison that Ringo was actually being housed there and up for adoption.”

Hare talked to the police department and told them what Ellis had done. Ellis has since been demoted to a patrol officer.

Sgt. Roderick Holmes had the following to say: “They are family, and we do not feel they deserve anything less than a loving home in retirement.”

Hare is still not convinced that the dogs are given everything that they need once they leave the police department. He is now rethinking his role in training the police dogs.

“All I have to go on as far as Jackson Police Department is what’s happened in the past,” Hare said. “I know they have a new administration. I actually hope that they do better than they have in the past, but all I have to go on is the past.”

A new system is currently being implemented by the JPD so that any future canines that retire will be monitored closely. We hope that this policy ensures that this type of situation never occurs again.

There are many people who will probably feel that demotion is not enough of a punishment for that police officer. The comments on Facebook agree that he did a horrible thing and he should probably lose his job for what he did.

It is hoped that the JPD will implement new policies to make sure that anytime a K-9 officer retires, they will be provided a happy home for the rest of their life.