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CANFIELD -- More than 100 police cars joined a memorial procession from the Canfield Fairgrounds to Fair Park this week for a service to remember Canfield K-9 officer Nix, who died Nov. 13.
According to police Chief Chuck Colucci, Nix was born July 3, 2019, in Slovakia. The purebred German Shepherd made the trip to Shallow Creek Kennels in western Pennsylvania, where he became the partner of Officer Aaron Young in October 2020.
Nix was trained in drug enforcement. He served well over the past three years and helped remove a large amount of drugs from the streets, Colucci said.
In his off hours, Nix enjoyed time with Aaron, his wife Jenn Young who serves as a Niles police officer, and the Youngs' twin girls. His favorite toy was a Kong ball.
Colucci told Canfield City Council members recently that Nix had a typical day on Nov. 12, and that evening he curled up in his bed and went to sleep. On the morning of Nov. 13, Young found his partner in pain with a stomach that was twice the normal size. Nix was a victim of bloat, which is when a dog's stomach fills with gas that causes it to expand and put pressure on other organs. In some cases, the dog's stomach may rotate or twist, requiring emergency treatment.
Colucci said Young rushed Nix to Akron for emergency surgery, but the dog didn't survive the surgery.
On Tuesday, Aaron, accompanied by Jenn, carried Nix's ashes and spread them around a young tree planted in the K9 Memorial Grove at Fair Park. Nix will join Canfield K-9 officer Thor, the first K-9 officer to be honored at the park.
The service began with a memorial caravan of 76 marked and 24 unmarked vehicles that started at the Canfield Fairgrounds and proceeded around the Village Green and ended at Fair Park. Police units came from all over Northeast Ohio to pay tribute to Nix. Most were K-9 units with their own canine partners riding along.
Colucci said Young wants to continue to serve as a K-9 officer and already has another dog picked out at Shallow Creek Kennels.
"Aaron will start training in January, and the new K-9 officer should be in service around February or March," Colucci said. "And the dog is fully funded."
He said Canfield Rotary and Christine Oliver's Back the Blue Organization have contributed $14,500 to cover the cost of the new dog.
Sometime in the spring, a stone marker will be placed at the tree to remember Nix forever.
Canfield has two other active K-9 teams that include Aaron's brother, Sgt. Kyle Young and Cutrona, and Officer Chad DeBarr and Rocky.
jtwhitehouse@vindy.com