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Died – 11/16/16
Handler – Deputy Justin Spivey
Rare condition takes life of Kershaw Co. K-9 officer
Three months after surgery to fight a rare intestinal disorder, a Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office K-9 officer has lost her battle. In May 2016 a deputy who was the K-9 handler for Mali, a German Shepard trained in the detection of illegal narcotics, noticed that the dog had become lethargic for no apparent reason. Mali was taken to a local veterinarian who diagnosed her condition as a rare intestinal disorder. She underwent surgery to remove a large portion of her intestine and was placed on a special diet with vitamin supplements. Just three months later, Mali was down to 38 pounds. After consulting with the veterinarian, the decision was made to end her suffering and put her down on November 16. Mali started her service with the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office in 2011 when she began working with narcotics officers. She successfully detected hidden narcotics on over 100 occasions and was instrumental in removing dangerous drugs from the streets of Kershaw County, Sheriff Jim Matthews said. “She will be sorely missed,” Matthews said. “These K-9’s become part of the Sheriff’s Office family and when one dies or has to be put down for whatever reason it a pretty sad thing. We will need to replace Mali in the very near future. Hopefully, funding for that will be made available.”
