Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Remembers Beloved K-9 ‘Junny’ One Year Later

writtten by Sheriff Wayne Ivey

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – A year ago today our community lost its favorite pup and I lost my partner and best friend.

While it’s been a year since Junny ended his watch with the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, his life and legacy will forever live on.

While losing Junny a year ago broke my heart, it was not lost on me that while I was blessed to have Junny live by my side for six years, Junny served a greater purpose in life.

Junny meant so much to our community as he stood as an ambassador for so many different things!! Not only was he our BCSO mascot but he was also the symbol in Brevard County against child abductions, animal abuse, driving safely in neighborhoods, fighting for pets to be included in domestic violence injunctions, adoption events, Milk and Donuts With Junny, Christmas Parades, the K-9 Junny Animal Medical Center, and above all else, he was tasked with carrying on the name and memory of Junny Rios-Martinez.

From the very beginning of his time with us, God had a plan for Junny and to be honest, for me.

You see, God knew exactly what big boy’s purpose was from the very beginning as Junny was donated to our agency on May 6th and Junny Rios-Martinez was born on May 6th as well!! Even though he was donated on May 6th he would not be named “Junny” until two weeks later after we did a “name that puppy contest” and the name Junny was picked by me from over 5,000 names!! In my opinion, that was divine intervention setting the wheels in motion and setting the course for what would become one of the biggest influences in our community.

What is also not lost on me is that Junny lived his life to the exact age he was supposed to…you see his namesake, Junny Rios-Martinez was taken from this world at the age of 11 years old and at the time his watch ended, my Junny was 11 as well.

There is no question that Junny Rios-Martinez will always be remembered by our community and so will Bud Bud, as our K-9 Junny Animal Medical Center not only stands to save the lives of thousands of homeless pets, but also to tell the stories of the two amazing boys we knew and loved as “Junny!”

Even though Junny came to us in 2014, I was only blessed to have Junny with me every second of my life for six years. He was my partner, my best friend, and my pride and joy.

While Junny ended his watch as our mascot, he served our community first as a member of our K-9 Corrections Team as he was trained to search for missing children, seniors with dementia, and fugitives.

In 2019 though, Junny found his true calling as our mascot and from then on lived the best life any dog could ever imagine!! From riding in a custom made Tahoe, living in what really amounted to his own condo, eating all the BBQ he wanted, getting every snack imaginable, and traveling all over the country with me, Junny was living large.

Junny did so many things in his time with us!! Searching for missing persons, helping pass legislation to allow pets to be included in domestic violence injunctions, helping charities raise money, messaging to children, helping bring attention to adoptions, fighting against animal abuse, starring in public safety announcements, participating in the dunking booth at birthdays and special events, bringing comfort to thousands, and so on, Junny got to do it all.

He planted pin wheels to bring awareness to child abuse, posed for signs to remind people to slow down and drive like their kids and pets live there, he reminded people to report animal abuse as not all victims can dial 911, was in more parades than most humans ever imagine, met governors, attorney generals, and senators and even got to occasionally go 10-18 with blue lights and sirens where he would hear me yell back to him…”hold on Bud Bud!!”

And if all of that were not enough, Junny had a reoccurring role each year in “The Nutcracker,” traveled multiple times to Washington DC for memorials and congressional testimonies, traveled to lectures with me to Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and even got to meet Duke from Bush Baked Beans and Ole Smokey from the Tennessee Volunteers!! Not only was he considered America’s Top Police Dog, but he is also the only dog to have been inducted into the American Police Hall of Fame and have a burger named after him at Ford’s Garage.

And of course when he wasn’t working he loved swimming, eating BBQ, McDonalds Sausage Biscuits, and Ice Cream, riding in his side by sides, his personal motorcycle side car, and just being loved on and petted!! And of course, if you stopped petting him or forgot to pet him he would give you a gentle reminder with his paws to get back to it, because let’s be honest…Junny was unapologetically Junny and he expected to be the center of attention.

Junny didn’t just walk into a room like he owned the place…Junny walked in like he didn’t care who owned the place, cause in Junny’s mind he was America’s Top Police Dog.

And more than anything else, Junny loved going with me to our cabin in Tennessee where he would relax, lay on the porch, in front of the fire place, or in the bed with no stress at all!! Just hanging with his Dad who he knew loved him more than life itself.

In the end though, Junny had done it all and given his all to me and our community!! Junny battled cancer for two years and most people never even knew it because he was such a warrior and just loved life so much.

Junny was tired and ready to go meet his namesake, but before he left he and I took one more walk together and in that moment he made sure I remembered everything he taught me during our journey together…

How To Love Unconditionally
The true meaning of loyalty
How to protect those you love
How to forgive in seconds, not days
How to trust
How to live life to the fullest
How to play like there is no tomorrow
How to take naps
How to have faith in who takes care of you

Hold on Bud Bud…You will always be in our hearts!!

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