A beloved canine with the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office has passed away. 

K-9 Athos succumbed to complications from cancer. He joined the sheriff’s office in December 2017 and passed away on July 18, 2023. He was seven years old. 

Deputy Anita Lucas-Dykstra, partner and handler of K-9 Athos said, “We built our bond on trust and a deep emotional connection. Athos was more than my partner; he was my best friend and family. He was the nose and eyes that I didn’t have. He had an incredible sense of smell that was used several times to help find people.” 

During Athos’ career, he is credited with locating several people and articles of evidence. Some of his more notable tracks included locating a missing 10-year-old autistic boy who ran away from home this past June. 

The duo received the call at the end of their shift, and Athos found the boy hiding in the bushes in ten minutes. On another callout, Athos located a 15-year-old boy who had made threats of suicide. He could locate the boy in the woods near his high school just by smelling his bicycle seat. The boy was unharmed and was able to receive further medical treatment.

The Sheriff's Office will hold a private memorial service this week.