(FOX NEWS) - Members of a Connecticut police department stood in line to salute a terminally ill four-legged partner on its last trip to a veterinary hospital.
K9 Hunter, a German shepherd, served with the Middletown Police Department at the side of its handler, Officer Michael D'Aresta. The dog was diagnosed with an aggressive form of liver cancer just recently.
Officers bid farewell to Hunter Friday as D'Aresta cradled the canine in his arms on the final trip to the vet, where the dog was euthanized.
"Officer Michael D'Aresta unfortunately has to make the toughest decision any K9 handler dreads making this evening at Pieper Olson in Middletown at 1830 hours," Sgt. Doug Clark, Middletown K9 supervisor, wrote in a post on Facebook on Friday. "K9 Hunter has been ill for that past several days and when tests were conducted they revealed that K9 Hunter has a very aggressive form of Liver cancer. They unfortunately recommended that he be euthanized."
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