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Died – 2/24/18
Handler – Cpl. Steven Donahue
Former K-9 officer dies after 7 years of service
A New Castle County police K-9 officer died Saturday after seven years of service. Monty, a 10-year-old German shepherd, was responsible for over 80 apprehensions and more than $675,000 seized in his career, said Master Cpl. Michel Eckerd of the New Castle County Police Department. The decision was made to put down Monty on Saturday, Eckerd said. “Putting down a dog is hard on anybody, but more so when the dog is your partner,” Eckerd said. Monty’s handler, Cpl. Steven Donahue, was devastated but knew the dog had led a great life and the time had come. The German shepherd lived with Donahue for over a decade. In his service, Monty helped find a man who was threatening to kill himself and had abandoned his car. Monty tracked the man, who was eventually transported to the hospital. While investigating a homeless encampment in 2014, an unleashed pit bull attacked Monty and injured him. Donahue responded to the attack by firing his gun at the pit bull, critically wounding him. Monty was treated at a local animal hospital for minor injuries and continued to work with Donahue for two more years until he retired in 2016. Eckerd said Monty will be missed and that working with his partner and the force was enough for him. “K-9 dogs don’t do the work for money or for status. They do it for love of their partner and the community.”
