Chelan County Sheriff's Office announces the retirement of one of its K9 units, and the future of its K9 program appears uncertain.

Who Was K9 Ruben?

Chief Ryan Moody said K9 Ruben served the Sheriff's Office for nine years, finishing his final day Tuesday. RiverCom 911 marked the occasion with a radio callout. Moody said Ruben will live out the rest of his days with his handler, Detective Mark Hegberg.

Rising Costs Threaten K9 Program

In a release, Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison said the decision to retire Ruben came with financial constraints.

"The agency is deeply grateful for the support of our community, but the reality of the rising costs associated with the K9 program totaling over $40,504 in expenses for K9 Ruben alone, not including more than $18,000 in recent medical bi

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