A retired Ohio police officer purchased his K-9 partner for $1, after an outcry of support from the community amid fears that the dog would be auctioned off, officials said Thursday.(Photo: Screenshot)
A retired Ohio police officer purchased his K-9 partner for $1<span style="color: Red;">*</span>thanks to community support amid fears that the dog would be auctioned off, officials said Thursday.
Matt Hickey, a former police officer in Marietta, Ohio, recently retired after<span style="color: Red;">*</span>30 years of service and wanted his K-9 companion Ajax to retire with him,
according to a GoFundMe page set up to raise funds to purchase Ajax.
Hickey was told that because Ajax still had several working years left and was<span style="color: Red;">*</span>public property, the animal had to be auctioned to the highest bidder instead of going home with him.
Ajax and Hickey worked together for four years, and the police officer was not ready to say goodbye to Ajax without a fight.
“Officer Hickey came in when he retired and wanted to buy the dog right then, but we couldn't do it," Marietta Mayor Joe Matthew told
NBC News earlier this week. "It's impossible. I would have loved to, but the state law won't allow us."
After Hickey complained publicly, the community came together to raise money so that he could purchase Ajax. As of Friday, the GoFundMe page raised over $72,000.
Earlier this week, Hickey was told that in order to keep the dog he would have to become an auxiliary officer, an offer Hickey said he could not take because of health concerns, according to his GoFundMe page.
On Wednesday evening, City Law Director Paul Bertram found a state administrative rule allowing Hickey to purchased the animal, the
Columbus Dispatch reported.
Hickey said Bertram called him and said, "Matt, you're getting the dog for a dollar," the
Dispatch reported.
"I am ecstatic," Hickey told the newspaper after purchasing Ajax on Thursday afternoon.
Hickey’s GoFundMe page proclaimed, “Victory” on Friday, and said the additional proceeds will go to Vested Interest in K9's, Inc., which provides bullet and stab protective vests for law enforcement dogs.
Follow @MaryBowerman on Twitter.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>
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