ALPHARETTA, Ga. — K-9 Mattis, a retired, distinguished police dog from the Alpharetta Department of Public Safety, died at home surrounded by his family on Saturday.
K-9 Mattis retired in 2021 as the most decorated dog in the department’s history, known for his numerous apprehensions and arrests, tracking and narcotics detection.
The K-9 holds the record for the most felony and misdemeanor arrests in the department’s history.
“This one really hurts. Knowing he is no longer here. No more visits to HQ to say hi to his friends while eating (MANY) milk bones covered in peanut butter and getting surrounded by a huge group who loved him dearly. (He was a big boy, one cookie wasn’t going to cut it…)," the department said in part in a social media post.
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Notably, K-9 Mattis was involved in an apprehension where he fell 30 feet, resulting in internal bleeding and a lacerated liver.
After retiring, K-9 Mattis faced several medical challenges, including spondylitis, gastrocnemius fibrosis, bloat and most recently, kidney disease.
K-9 Mattis was also the sweetheart of Sgt. Mark Tappan, his family and all that knew the dog.
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