Retired Officer Desperate To Buy K9 Partner, But The Law Says NO

How would you feel if, despite your greatest efforts, your best friend and partner was going to be taken from you? Well, sadly, that’s exactly what Marietta K9 Officer Matt Hickey has been enduring recently. Hickey and his partner, Ajax the German Shepherd, have spent almost every single day together for the past three years. As any dog owner understands, it’s not difficult to become deeply attached to your dog after a fraction of that time.

Hickey offered to pay the city $3,500, which was the value that they had placed on Ajax. However, the city rejected his offer and Hickey has been enduring extreme emotional duress since. According to the city, Ajax, who is 6, has the potential to work for six more years.

The day Hickey retired, he went to his Police Chief with the money in hand. However, when he handed the money to the chief so that he could take Ajax with him, his chief rejected the offer, saying, “I can’t take the money for the dog.”

The reason? Money. Policy dictates that the city can’t simply accept the fair value – instead, they have to auction the dog off to the highest bidder like some interchangeable piece of equipment. Sadly, the most appropriate person to take the dog may not necessarily be the person with the most money. This is Hickey’s fear – that someone may take the bid way above what he is capable of spending.

Apparently, an officer is only permitted to flat out purchase their K9 if the dog is injured in the line of duty, or beyond working age.

UPDATE: Not all hope is lost. Thanks to the power of the internet, and wonderful people just like you, a fund has been set up to help Hickey raise the additional funds he needs to ensure he can spend his retirement with his K9 partner, Ajax the German Shepherd. If you’re interested in making a small donation, you can do so here. If you can’t afford to, please at least share this story on Facebook, which is also an enormous help.

2/4/2016 UPDATE: We’re happy to report a VICTORY for Officer Hickey and Ajax! Via their GoFundMe page, it has been reported that per a live press conference held at the Marietta city hall today, Officer Hickey has been able to purchase Ajax for $1. That means that all but $1 that’s been raised by the Officer’s GoFundMe page will now be going to Vested Interest in K9’s Inc.

Story via 10tv.com