By Police1 Staff
MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. — A bond between a crime-fighting dog and his officer is a special one that lasts until the end.
Former Michigan City police officer Rob Grant, 37, and his K-9, Henry, were buried together July 1 after a new law passed at the Statehouse, the South Bend Tribune reported.
Prior to “Henry’s Law,” remains of animals and humans were prohibited from sharing the same grave in Indiana, but exceptions were made not just for police officers but people with handicaps who rely on a service dog.
The change in the law happened when Grant’s family and friends approached State Rep. Scott Pelath. The law unanimously passed both chambers.
Grant, a highly-regarded, 12-year veteran of the department, committed suicide last year, less than a week after being charged with two counts of official misconduct and one count of possession of a legend drug, all Level 6 felonies.
He was allegedly taking expired or unwanted prescription drugs disposed of by the public from the department’s discarded medication vault.
Henry was 13-years-old and in retirement when Grant died, but a family friend noticed the canine was declining rapidly.
“His enthusiasm to play ball was definitely going away the longer Robbie was gone. He was broken-hearted without Robbie,” said Michigan City police officer Doug Samuelson, a close friend of Grant and his family.
Samuelson, a former longtime dog handler himself, predicts that other officers will go to their graves with their police dogs, who are often their best friends.
Grant and Henry were together for 10 years.