That was especially true for one Ohio police officer and his distinctive K9 companion, whose lives and jobs were permanently linked.

And today, in a sad however wonderful end to their tale, the two officers died on the specific same day, just hours from one another.

On Wednesday, the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office announced that Sheriff Dan McClelland, that served the county for 44 years prior to retiring in 2016, died at the age of 67.

And his former companion, a Chihuahua-rat terrier mix named Midget, died just hours later, as if of a broken heart.

Sheriff McClelland was thought about a “pillar” of his community throughout his decades on the force, including 13 years as sheriff.

He won Geauga County’s Emerald Leader Award in 2014, and his bio lists job accomplishments like removing a major burglary ring and saving the life of another deputy by disarming an armed suspect.

” It’s constantly been about family and bringing individuals together,” McClelland claimed about his career.

However as impressive as his resume was, he spent a lot of his job of his partner Midget, who was quite the celeb.

At 11 inches high and 23 inches long, Midge earned the Guinness World Record for the tiniest police dog in 2006. Despite her tiny size, Midge was a pro drug-sniffing K9.

” He spent 44 years securing people in this area and, rather frankly, he liked his work, every min of it,” Hildenbrand said of McClelland. “I thought he would certainly never ever retire.”.

That they died so close together is a bittersweet and fitting end to their lives with each other. And currently, they’ll be with each other permanently: according to AP, Sheriff McClelland and Midget will be hidden together.

It goes to reveal the actual caring bond between a police officer and his K9 partner. Share this beautiful tale.