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Officer and partner celebrate K9 Veterans Day

On National K9 Veterans Day, an officer and his four-legged partner share their story.

A police officer and their partner share a unique bond.

And Sgt. Christopher Moore with Harris County Sheriffs Office has a unique partner.

Ziko.

"I have a dual-purpose narcotic patrol canine," Moore said.

Moore got Ziko when his first K9 partner, Duke retired.

Moore received his canine through a foundation called K9s4Cops.

The foundation works to help address the need for a canine in law enforcement and help fund the purchase of the animal.

Moore said having a canine as as a partner can be tough, but rewarding.

"It's the best part of law enforcement to me," he said.

Moore said the training and the time spent with the dog is worth it when he sees the hard work pay off.

"You spend so much time with theses dogs and you do things that are quite dangerous, those dogs save us or keep us safe," Moore said.

And time spent with his partner is no joke.

"I work a 10 hour shift and Ziko is there with me through its entirety," he said. "I spend more time with my dog than I do my family."

But, it's not all work. There's some play.

Moore takes care of Ziko even when he's not in the office or on the job. Ziko lives with Moore and has became a part of his day-to-day life. A reason when Ziko goes to retire, Moore will be right there.

When a dog retires, they try to place them with a handler or someone who has K9 experience.

As for Ziko, Moore says he will gladly take care of him when it is his time to retire.

"Absolutely," he said.

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