Died – 4/30/19
Handler – Lt. O’Neil
Retired Clackamus County K9 Dies
It is with the deepest sorrow we announce the passing of retired K-9 Nero. Nero started working for the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office in 2006 at just a year and a half old. He retired in 2016 after 10 years of service at the ripe old age of 11.5 years old. During that time, he was able to make a huge impact in the community by not only keeping citizens safe but the deputies who help protect those citizens. He touched the hearts of thousands of people during his time in service. But it didn’t stop there. Once retired he kept doing public appearances to keep educating people about police dogs and how they keep everyone safe as a part of “Friends of Clackamas County K9” non-profit. This non-profit raises money to help support the retired K-9’s from the Sheriff’s Office. Nero’s legacy will forever live on with the Sheriff’s Office. He is the star of the “Mik & Nero” comic book series. These comic books have been distributed across the US and Canada. They are aimed to engage kids in reading and teach them about how to stay safe. We will always be able to visit Nero since there is a bronze statue of him sitting right outside of the Brooks Building on SE Sunnybrook Blvd in Clackamas. Nero sat very patiently over the course of 8 hours while the artist sculpted him by hand out of clay. We have been blessed to be able to share the last 2.5 years with Nero in his retirement. He has been very content visiting with people as well as just lounging around the house on one of his 4 dog beds. He is always surrounded by a bucket of his toys and frequently would bring one over to you to play. But on April 30th, 2019 Nero’s body just couldn’t keep up with his mind. He peacefully passed away at home on his bed, surrounded by his toys and loved ones at the age of 14. Nero, thank you for your service! You will truly be missed.