Harrisburg Police Bureau’s Cpl. Don Bender with K-9 Zoe at retirement ceremony.
Harrisburg officials gathered on Monday to honor a Bureau of Police officer that, for years, has done a doggone good job.
While K-9 officer Zoe was preoccupied with a ball, bureau officials recognized the dog’s bittersweet retirement, made necessary by her recent lymphoma diagnosis.
“She’s a great K-9 dog, and she was a great partner to her handler,” said Police Commissioner Thomas Carter during the event, held at the MLK City Government Center. “We are going to dearly miss her.”
Zoe served with the bureau for nearly seven years with handler Cpl. Don Bender. Zoe is an 8-year-old Dutch Shepherd and was the bureau’s first female K-9.
On March 7, she was put into early retirement and will live with Bender and his family.
During her service, Zoe largely worked patrol and narcotic detection cases. Zoe and Bender were utilized more than 360 times, completing article searches, apprehensions, building searches, back-up and perimeter assists, narcotics vehicle/residential/parcel searches and tracks, along with various other tasks. The bureau credited Zoe with the seizure of $21,755, 8.80 kilos of cocaine, 60 grams of fentanyl, 35 pounds of marijuana, and 3.88 kilos of methamphetamine.
She also performed K-9 demonstrations at community and educational events, such as the city’s National Night Out.
“Not just K-9 Zoe, but every K-9 we have, it’s invaluable what they bring to the table,” Bender said. “We can’t put a price on what they bring to the department.”
Zoe is currently in week two of a 19-week, aggressive chemotherapy treatment, according to Bender. So far, she has responded well to it and has a chance of experiencing remission, he said.
Virginia-based nonprofit Paws of Honor is covering the cost of Zoe’s treatment, as they provide assistance with care for military and police K-9s.
At Monday’s ceremony, Zoe performed her final walk in front of saluting officers and received a radio send-off from Dauphin County 9-1-1 Dispatch.
“I think everyone that owns a dog knows that there’s that once-in-a-lifetime dog, and she’s that for me,” Bender said. “The best partner you can have.”
Update: On Friday, March 24, K-9 Zoe passed away following a recent chemotherapy treatment, according to a statement from the city, which extended condolences to Bender and his family.
Story updated on 3/27/23.
If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!
