According to Gloucester County Online, about thirty police officers and more than a dozen K-9 officers and their dogs gave the retired former star of the West Deptford Police Department’s K-9 unit a hero’s farewell by escorting him on his last trip to him to Swedesboro Animal Hospital St. Francis Veterinary Clinic on Kings Highway in Woolwich Township, New Jersey.
Due to his greatly deteriorated health, his handlers had feared that the nine-year-old German Shepherd would not have the strength to walk on his own to the hospital.
But Judge walked with his handler to the hospital through double rows of police officers and fellow K-9 dogs. He clenched his favorite training sleeve in his teeth as he walked through the lines of saluting officers.
His handlers said they knew that the nine-year-old dog would be able to make his final walk to the hospital when he bit down firmly on his training sleeve and favorite toy. They could judge that he had enough strength left in him to make the walk from his ability to bite down firmly on the training sleeve.
When the vehicle carrying Judge arrived at the St. Francis Veterinary Hospital in South Jersey, heartbroken officers of the West Deptford Township police and their dogs waited silently outside the hospital and saluted as he walked into the hospital.
Even vet doctors and technicians at hospital formed a double line inside the clinic to receive the dog. Gloucester County Online reports that one vet sobbed as the dog walked into the hospital to the treatment room where he was put to sleep.
According to Glassboro Sgt. Dan Eliasen, who supervises the police department’s K-9 division, “It’s about showing respect, but also the people who are here wanted to thank Judge for his service to the community. No one has forgotten what he’s done — and that includes protecting his partner and his community.”
Judge was retired from West Deptford police in New Jersey in 2013 due to problems with his teeth. He was later diagnosed of a condition called Cushing’s Disease, and despite treatment, his health deteriorated and specialists who carried out further investigations found masses in vital organs of his body.
According to the West Deptford Police Department, Judge started his eight-year career as a police dog with his owner Cpl. Mike Franks. He was deployed 208 times during the years of his career to perform duties involving drug detection, tracking and apprehension of criminals.
He played roles in 152 arrests, seizure of three vehicles, recovery of three handguns and confiscation of more than $47,000, according to the West Deptford Police Department.
He was recruited to the police force in 2007 and remained active until August 2013 when he was retired. But soon after his retirement, in June 2014, his health began to deteriorate with symptoms diagnosed as due to Cushing’s Disease. The symptoms included vomiting, hair loss, bloating, loss of muscles, weakness and excessive panting.
His health condition deteriorated further in September when he began having nose bleeds. When his doctors were unable to determine the cause of the nose bleeds they referred his case to a specialist who found several large masses in his organs, including his liver, testicles and intestines.
He was sent to the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary Hospital where vet surgeons removed the masses.
Officers raised about $13,000 in one day in November to help to settle Judge’s mounting medical bills. But the heroic efforts were not enough to save the dog’s life. The difficult decision was finally made Thursday to euthanize Judge after it became obvious that he had lost the battle for his life.
