Beloved, retired Bend Police drug-detection K-9 ‘Zoey’ has passed with her family at the age of 13

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – It’s always a sad day when a beloved family pet passes. But when it’s a four-legged retired Bend Police officer, K-9 Zoey, who loved visiting classrooms as much as catching suspects – if not more – the loss may be more widely felt than most.

Don Barber, a retired K-9 officer, shared with us Friday news of the passing of his partner Zoey, who NewsChannel 21 announced when hired in 2012 as a new drug-detection K-9 after four weeks of extensive training. She was a 2-year-old at the time Belgian Malinois, originally from the Netherlands and living with Barber and his family.

Zoey served the city until 2016, when she was retired due to an injury and ultimately adopted by her handler, who she lived with until her passing earlier this week.

“Zoey was deployed dozens of times during her career, doing her job as a police K-9,” Barber said, “but she enjoyed visiting classrooms of the various elementary, middle and high schools around Bend the most.”

“In retirement, she enjoyed trips to the beach, mountains and deserts of Oregon,” he added. “She helped raise her ‘kiddos’ Ella and Fischer Barber. And finally, was her former handler’s best friend.”