MONETA, Va. – The Franklin County community is remembering a four-legged member of the Sheriff’s Office.
K9 Sasha passed away unexpectedly in August. On Wednesday, the Sheriff’s Office and the community gathered for a memorial service at Westlake Baptist Church in Moneta in her honor.
“Sasha believed that she was a bloodhound, not a shepherd,” said Lt. Terry Dameron with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. “This dog tracked like no other narc[otics] dog I’d ever witnessed at any time in my career, and I’ve worked alongside a lot of dogs.”
The five-year-old German Shepherd joined the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office in 2018. Her first handler knew Sasha was something special.
“Sasha was a perfect mix of a working dog and a pet, and that was very rare to find,” said Deputy Edwin Alejandro. “She knew how to turn the switch. When it was time to work and it was time to be at home and relax.”
Deputy Alejandro said the bond between his children and Sasha was so strong he called Sasha their sister.
“They ate together, slept together, played together,” Deputy Alejandro said. “If we had her in her crate early on, my little one Teagan was in the crate with her.”
He said Sasha’s reputation in the field was unmatched, being able to sniff out drugs and also find people.
“That was one of the most rewarding parts when we had some individuals in danger and she was able to locate them,” Deputy Alejandro said.
The Sheriff’s Office said Sasha died on August 9 of an unexpected medical condition. They said she leaves a lasting legacy in Franklin County and beyond.