A Mississippi police officer has been busted down to patrol duty after ditching his retired K-9 partner, Ringo, at an animal shelter, according to police officials. The Jackson Police Department assumed that officer Carl Ellis, who was Ringo’s handler, had continued to care for the former K-9 officer at his home after the dog’s retirement in October. Officials were later surprised to learn otherwise after Ringo’s initial trainer, Randy Hare, spotted the dog up for adoption on the shelter’s website. “You get into this business because you appreciate dogs and what they’re able to do,” Hare told WAPT-TV. Ringo should never have landed in the shelter, added the trainer, who said dogs can often be treated like “equipment” by police departments.

Source: Huffington Post December 15, 2018 00:56 UTC