WATCH: Brevard Sheriff Wayne Ivey Provides Heartfelt Tribute for K-9 Junny, Will Always Be ‘America’s Top Police Dog’

Junny was the most loyal and loving dog who loved our citizens and was our agency’s mascot

WATCH: Junny was Brevard’s comfort dog and ambassador, a natural anti-stress advocate. He was also Sheriff Wayne Ivey’s shadow, a constant presence wherever he went, be it schools, county commission meetings, parades, speaking engagements, or special events. From the moment Junny arrived in 2014 as a ten-week-old pup, Sheriff Ivey knew the hound was special.

CLICK HERE TO SEE JUNNY THROUGH THE YEARS

It is said that a good dog only breaks your heart, and today my heart is broken. Yesterday, Junny passed away after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Junny was not just a good dog; he was a great dog, and to me and our community, he will always be “America’s Top Police Dog!”

Words cannot express how much I am hurting right now, but I know how truly blessed I am that Junny shared his life with me, our agency, and our community. He was the most loyal and loving dog who loved our citizens and was our agency’s mascot.

Junny was not only an ambassador to our agency, but he carried on the legacy of Junny Rios-Martinez, who was abducted and murdered in 1991 here in Brevard County.

Junny’s initial role with our agency in 2014 was searching for missing children and seniors with dementia, but in 2018 he took on the role of being our mascot and my partner. He loved going to schools, special events, and just hanging at the office with me, but more than anything else, he loved walking and riding in his own personal side-by-side during parades.

And of course, he loved BBQ, ice cream, and going to our cabin in Tennessee. As anyone who knew him already knows, Junny lived the best of lives and was spoiled rotten.

In February, our agency opened a brand-new Animal Medical Center named in his honor, the K-9 Junny Animal Medical Center.

From charity events to lectures to responding to hurricanes, Junny traveled with me everywhere I went. He traveled to Washington, DC, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina, and all across Florida.

He loved riding with me everywhere in my Tahoe, which was specially outfitted for his comfort, and somewhere along the way, I realized I was Junny’s Uber driver!

Junny was, without question, deeply loved by our community, our agency, and me more than words could ever describe. Our agency is making arrangements for a memorial service that will take place early next week. Once arrangements are made, our team will share them with our community so that anyone who wishes to attend may do so.

I would like to thank everyone for loving him so much and for all of the phone calls, texts, and messages on social media that have been shared with us offering their sympathy and prayers. I also want to thank all of his Veterinarians and Vet Teams who gave him such special care and love all along the way.

As I said earlier, my heart is broken, but I know how blessed I am to have Junny in my life and to have received so much joy and love from having him as my partner!

Throughout his life, Junny taught me…

■ 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

Rest easy Bud Bud, you will always be in my heart!

– Sheriff Wayne Ivey

Similar Stories