OfficerBlue“Officer Michael D’Aresta unfortunately has to make the toughest decision any K9 handler dreads making,” the Middletown Police posted Sept. 1 on Facebook.
“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,” the police stated.
“They unfortunately recommended that he be euthanized. Officer D’Aresta and Hunter have been an exceptional team serving the City of Middletown in a high caliber since 2007.”
“So as you can imagine, this is extremely difficult for Mike and his family,” said Sgt. Doug Clark, Middletown K-9 supervisor.
The Middletown Police posted on Facebook on July 9 how K9 Hunter served the city. The police had encountered a highly intoxicated man who appeared to be under the influence of drugs and had a fresh injury to his left temple. When police tried to assit, the man was hostile, threatening and combative.
Three officers were unable to gain control of the man. Officer D’Aresta used K9 Hunter to apprehend the man. With help from K9 Hunter, the man was taken into custody and given medical treatment at a hospital.
“Great team effort to all the Officers on scene and especially K9 Hunter who prevented the Officers involved from being further attacked and/or injured,” the police stated.
On August 8, 2016, police responded to a domestic disturbance where a woman reported that her boyfriend forced her way into her apartment and assaulted her. The suspect had fled before police arrived.
K9 Hunter started a track using an article of clothing previously worn by the suspect. For 45 minutes, K9 Hunter led police on a two-mile track and found the suspect lying in thick brush area near an embankment of overgrown grass. The suspect was taken into custody without incident.
Our thoughts and prayers are with K9 Hunter”s handler and Middletown Police Department.