The day that police officers from around Maine had dreaded had arrived.
It was time to bid farewell to one of the most loyal members of their force.
Sultan, a 13-year-old German shepherd, served a long and distinguished career as Yarmouth's first police dog. Along with Officer Mike Vogel, the pair answered more than a 1,000 calls together, according to the Press Herald.
When Sultan retired, Officer Shane Stephenson took him home to adjust to life as a family pet. Stephenson said the dog enjoyed over two years of good health, until arthritis and most recently, a series of seizures left the dog unable to eat or walk on his own.
Dozens of officers from across the state gathered to pay their respects and bid farewell, while offering moral support to the grieving officers.
Sultan greeted each of the officers and received many affectionate scratches and pats before being given a police escort to the veterinary clinic, where the ailing dog was euthanized.
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