The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources regretfully announces the passing of Region 4's K9 Blue.
K9 Blue. (Taylor Main/SCDNR)
On May 26, K9 Blue suffered a medical emergency and passed away with his handler, Sgt. Earhart, by his side.
K9 Blue, a labrador retriever, joined the agency in 2017 and accomplished an array of missions in the state, from catching poachers to assisting other agencies in evidence recovery.
"I had the pleasure of watching K9 Blue and Sgt. Earhart grow together over the last three years," said Lt. Col. Landrum. "They were an excellent team filled with determination, drive, and the will to always want to do better. K9 Blue will truly be missed and will always be known as a true hero."
"SCDNR K9 team is a valuable asset to SCDNR law enforcement and local law enforcement," said Col. Chisolm Frampton. "We are heartbroken by the loss of Blue, one of our K9s."
A date for Blue's service has not been determined at this time.