Ohio officer reunited with longtime K-9 partner after fighting city for ownership

SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio (WJW) — An Ohio police officer who recently switched departments can keep his longtime canine partner after city officials granted him ownership of the beloved canine. Now, he’s back home just in time for the holidays.

Igor, a German Shepherd, had worked alongside his handler Chad Hagan at the Shaker Police Department since 2018. In November, Hagan was ordered to surrender Igor to a kennel after accepting a job with another department.

“The day Chad and I had to take him to the kennel was literally the worst day of our lives,” Hagan’s wife, Danielle, told NEWS10's sister station WJW. “I was crying. He was crying. Igor knew something was wrong.”

When handlers leave the department, police dogs can often retire and live with them. However, since Igor is just over 6 years old, the department deemed him fit to serve for three to four more years.

Shaker Heights Police Chief Wayne Hudson tried to negotiate terms for officer Hagan to stay on for two more years after which Igor would be allowed to retire, but Hagan declined, countering with an offer to purchase Igor for $10,000. The offer was denied by the city.

Hagan’s fight with the city over ownership captured the attention of animal rights group PETA, which sent a letter to the police chief asking him to release the dog to Hagan and his family. “The psychological trauma that Igor must be going through right now—being ripped from the family he knows that loves him to being put in a kennel—it’s cruel," said Rachel Bellis, PETA associate director of local affairs in the Cruelty Investigation Department. "it’s just cruel."

On Friday, Dec. 15, the Shaker Heights City Council held a special meeting to decide whether to change the ordinance that prevented the city from retiring and selling Igor. During the meeting, the police chief recommended amending the current Shaker Heights law to allow them to sell a K-9 still fit for service if provided sufficient compensation.

Shaker Heights City Council unanimously decided to amend the law, allowing Hagan to buy Igor from the department for $16,500. The price reflects how much money it would take to replace the K-9 and train its replacement.

"Whatever we had to do to get Igor back was what we were going to do," said Danielle. "We appreciate the city of Shaker Heights."

Igor spent more than two weeks in a kennel after the family surrendered him. But now, “We’re happy to have our family back for Christmas,” said Hagan.

Shaker Heights Mayor David Weiss released the following statement:

“We genuinely appreciate the love of animals that has inspired so many people from across the country and beyond to share their thoughts on this situation. Our ordinance, which reflects long-standing state law and was known to Officer Hagan, did not provide the authority to address situations when a police officer leaves the department in advance of the retirement of their canine. Today’s Council action to amend the ordinance enables the amicable resolution reached today.”

NewsNation’s Tino Bovenzi contributed to this story.