Florida deputies are mourning the loss of a beloved K-9, who died Tuesday following a long battle with cancer.
K-9 Junny was described as not just a good dog, but a great dog who was loyal, loving and involved. In the community, he was known as “America’s Top Police Dog.”
The canine began his work with the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office in 2014 to search for missing children and seniors with dementia. In 2018, he transitioned to an ambassador to the agency and carried the legacy of Junny Rios-Martinez, an 11-year-old boy who was abducted and murdered in 1991 in their jurisdiction.
Junny was known to enjoy attending special events, visiting schools, taking walks, traveling and hanging out in the sheriff’s office with his handler, Sheriff Wayne Ivey.
“Words cannot express how much I am hurting right now, but I know how truly blessed I am that Junny shared his life with me, our agency, and our community,” Ivey said.
The sheriff said Junny taught him how to love unconditionally, protect those he loves, live life to the fullest, take naps and forgive in seconds, not days.
In February, the sheriff’s office opened a new Animal Medical Center, named the “K-9 Junny Animal Medical Center” in his honor.
A video posted to the sheriff’s office’s social media shows deputies leading a procession for the canine.
