It was an absolute honor to attend the swearing in of K9 Athena with the Anne Arundel County Sheriff's Office. K9 officers participate in the ceremony with a paw print, and the signature of their partner. K9 Athena trained extensively with Deputy Harding, who she will work with as she serves and protects. Deputy Harding previously worked with K9 Gabby, who passed away unexpectedly last year. After K9 Gabby’s untimely passing, the Chesapeake K-9 Fund stepped in to donate K9 Athena to our sheriff’s office as the role she fills is an important one. K9 Athena is trained in explosives and ballistics detection, protecting the citizens of our county both in the courthouse and beyond. If you’d like to learn more about the Chesapeake K9 fund, and support their mission, please visit their website. They do incredible work to provide safety equipment and training for K9 law enforcement officers, as well as contribute to departments by placing K9s like Athena, where they are needed the most.