JASPER COUNTY, Ga. — A Georgia state K-9 officer with the Department of Natural Resources died on the job on Thursday while investigating a suspected poacher, DNR's Law Enforcement Division said on Facebook.
K-9 Rio was a game warden with DNR and had served for six years. DNR said he experienced a medical emergency after tracking and locating the suspected poacher in Jasper County.
His handler, Cpl. Keith Page, attempted to revive Rio but the K-9 officer did not recover.
"Rio faithfully served as a Game Warden K-9 and Cpl. Page’s partner for 6 years, beginning service at 12 months old in January of 2017. Rio was escorted back to Barnesville, under an American flag, in a procession led by the Lamar County Sheriff’s Office," DNR wrote.
Cpl. Page and K-9 Rio had been assisting in the tracking and location of the suspected poacher, whom DNR said was "hunting without permission adjacent to the Oconee National Forest." Afterward they began a "backtrack in a search for further evidence" when the medical emergency occurred.
"Please keep Cpl. Page and his family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.," the DNR post stated.
Georgia First Lady Marty Kemp also noted K-9 Rio's passing with a message on X: "Sending @GaDNRLE and Cpl. Page and his family my deepest condolences as they mourn the passing of K-9 Rio. Please join me in praying for his loved ones as they grieve this loss."
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