EAST HARTFORD--A dog day afternoon at the East Hartford Police Department Thursday.
It was all about the K9 program which celebrated 25 years protecting East Hartford with the help of man's best friend.
Department dog handlers, past and present, were on hand, including K9 units from other police departments.
The celebration culminated with the retirement recognition of police dog, Primo. The 10-year-old German Shepherd served for nearly a decade with this partner, Officer Todd Mona.
The team almost died together during a domestic call back in January of 2009, when Mona got shot and Primo got stabbed twice.
FOX 61 chronicled their amazing recovery, which was so ahead of schedule that they competed at the K9 Olympics that summer.
Even with Primo's best days behind him, the patrol dog seems to still want to work.
"Coming here today, barking the whole way here, it's like nothing changed," Officer Mona said. "It's just like us, the mind still operates as if he was brand new and roaring to go, but the body says otherwise, and that's why we have to retire him."
Officer Mona still works with a dog. Casus Belli has taken over for Primo to take a bite out of crime.