Puppy With Terminal Heart Defect Serves As Honorary Hamden K-9

HAMDEN, CT —A German shepherd puppy with a terminal heart defect had the thrill of a lifetime by serving as an honorary K-9 with the Hamden Police Department on Monday, according to WFSB 3.

WFSB reports Arlo, who will turn 6 months old next week, wasn’t expected to reach 3 months old due to the heart defect he was born with. He has a narrowing of the aortic valve and surgery isn’t an option for the severity of his case, according to WFSB.

Arlo was adopted by Ashley Sakelarakis of the Woodbridge Animal Control. Sakelarakis is a Hamden native and reached out to the Hamden Police Department to help Arlo check an item off his bucket list. Sakelarakis adopted Arlo from the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter in Branford.

Arlo had been evaluated by three canine heart specialists — including Central Vet Hospital, Tufts and another in Massachusetts, while he was in Branford and none were able to help Arlo, according to a post on the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter Facebook page.

“But luckily Arlo is in great hands for the time he does have with us,” the post reads. “Ashley from Woodbridge Animal Control adopted Arlo a few months back and Arlo was just inducted as an Honorary Police Dog at Hamden Police Department to mark that off of his ‘bucket list.’ Many times the dedicated Animal Control Officers in our State go unnoticed because they are not seeking attention for the amazing things they do. But Ashley is a wonderful person as well as a wonderful ACO. We would like to Thank her for her love and tenderness that she is giving to Arlo. Arlo will be turning six months old at the end of this week and today surrounded by family and friends Arlo was loved and showered with attention.

“Thank you to the Hamden Police Department for doing this and for allowing us to be apart of it!”

Read the full story, including the other items on Arlo’s bucket list, at WFSB 3 here.

Photos via the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter on Facebook