At any given time in Ohio, dozens of four-legged police officers stand watch on the thin blue line. In 2015, the effort began to honor those k9 heroes with a special memorial in Batavia. After years of work, the Memorial opened in August of 2018. Three granite slabs list the names of those dogs who have helped to protect and serve, many of which have lost their lives in the effort.
On Sunday September 16, the 3rd annual Paws on Patrol 5k took place to help benefit the Memorial. Runners, many with their canine companions, turned out on the beautiful late summer morning to take part. Several dog-centric vendors had set up shop as well, including our friends at The Matt Havercamp Foundation.
Of all the sights, the favorites were the K9 officers in attendance, some as representatives of their departments, others as participants.
The route was lined with small markers naming many of the K9 officers who have passed on.
Following our run, Loki and I made our way five minutes south to the memorial itself, located in Amelia, Ohio.
The memorial is a beautiful tribute to the dogs who have served in their communities. The names of Ohio’s past k9 officers cover the granite panels, both front and back, an incredible reminder of the sacrifice these dogs made, whether they understood or not. The creators paid close attention to detail, from the badge on the bronze dog guarding the site to the etched designs on the benches than circle to grounds.
For more information on the memorial, follow this link:
the American Canine 
How awesome! 😀