Zeus is an 11-year-old German Shepherd. He was retired from a Ridgefield Police Department because of his severe degenerative hip disorder. And because he was in so much pain, his fellow officers decided to end his suffering. But before he was put down, they gave him a heartwarming farewell. One of the police officers said, “His health has declined significantly over the past year, so he has to be put down.” Zeus joined the Ridgefield Police Department in 2006. Since then, he proved that he was an excellent K-9 officer. One of the most memorable things that he did during his almost decade-long service was leading to an arre..st in over 250 narcotics cases. Zeus partnered with Sgt. Shawn Murray. This K9 has performed hundreds of demonstrations for the public and also conducted over 50 tracks for missing or wanted individuals. The departments’ official Facebook also shared that Zeus “located six individuals that were in life-threatening situations. He also located six suspects that had fled the scenes of cr.im.es. The largest amount of narcotics Zeus was responsible for seizing was 10 pounds of m.a.ri.juana which occurred in 2006.” Sadly, Zeus had been a sick veteran police dog and had suffered from several health problems. His partner took care of him even after his retirement. Sgt. Murray brought Zeus home and took care of him as much as possible. Unfortunately, the pup’s health rapidly declined. The worst was the degenerative hip disorder that was causing him a lot of pain. And no one could help him, even the pain medications. So the police decided to put Zeus to sleep and end his suffering. It was a difficult decision to make but they knew that it was the best for him. Zeus was euthanized in 2015 at the Ridgefield Veterinary Hospital. But before he was put to sleep, his colleagues made sure to make his last ride as memorable as possible, surrounded by those who love him. During the farewell, community members walked along the route to pay tribute. Zeus took a final route through Ridgefield. Everyone was sad to see him leave. The last ride started at 4:45 p.m., and all police agencies from the area attended the event. The Facebook post shared: “Zeus was a valued member of our team as well as our community and will be greatly missed.” The degenerative hip disorder is a painful condition and it is known to be greatly affecting the dog’s quality of life. Some dogs begin to show signs of this disease at a very young age. Signs include a reluctance to jump, run, or climb the stairs. If your dog is showing any of these signs, it is best to take your pooch to the vet.