A canine known as the world’s tiniest police dog now has a heartbreaking story to share with you all…it will definitely make you cry, that is for sure.
You will definitely need something to wipe down those tears after you read this moving story. Former Geauga County Sheriff Dan McClelland passed after a long battle with a brain tumor. His beloved police dog was right by his side until the very end.
Indeed, his K-9 partner Midge was his constant companion even during their retirement days, and she ultimately ended up passing away at the age of 16 just a few days after Sheriff McClelland lost his pattern with that brain tumor.
There is no question that Dan and Midge were very close, and the Geauga County Sheriff’s Department once boasted of having the world’s smallest certified police dog.
Midge was a rat terrier/chihuahua mix, and she worked in tandem with Sheriff McClelland to keep their community safe. The Geauga Sheriff’s Office also recognized the two when McClelland retired, after he and Midge had spent a decade together keeping the streets safe between 2006 and 2016.
McClelland would later go on to retire after a 44-year career in law enforcement.
Midge was actually in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the world’s smallest certified police dog. That is no small feat! (no pun intended)
The best thing about Midge was that she had the ability to go where the big dogs could not! Moreover, Midge was a very calm police canine, having the ability to sniff out a variety of vehicles without tearing up the interior.
McClelland’s successor, Sheriff Scott Hildenbrand said: “He used to joke that people would see him in a parade in a car and would say, ‘Hey, there’s Midge and whatshisname,’ I think she was more popular than him.”
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine also weighed in on the unfortunate passing of Midge and Sheriff McClelland, saying,
“I was saddened to hear of the passing of former Geauga County Sheriff Dan McClelland and his drug-sniffing partner Midge, a chihuahua-rat terrier mix. In 2006, Midge was certified by Guinness World Records as the smallest police dog in the world,”
DeWine continued.
“As Attorney General, I got to work with Sheriff McClelland – and Midge was always nearby. They will both be missed.”
Indeed, one is reminded of the Disney animated movie “All Dogs Go To Heaven” and you can bet your bottom dollar that this is especially true for a police dog.
The well-known partnership of Dan and Midge became so prominent that they even appeared on daytime talk shows and did several photoshoots for magazines.
And you know, everyone always says that you should never get attached to anyone at work. However, they have never worked with a pint-sized police dog that stole everyone’s hearts!
The lives of McClelland and Midge were inseparable, and they ultimately became rock stars in their small locality. Midge even maintained her police dog certification until her own retirement.
What an awesome, inspiring law enforcement story.