A battle is brewing in Pickaway County over a K-9 Officer.
Recently, Rob Morningstar, a Circleville Police Officer, left the city to become a deputy Sheriff with Pickaway County.
As a K-9 officer with the city, Morningstar was partnered with a dog named Harry. When the officer left for the county, the Morningstar family tried working out a deal to keep the dog and pay for any expenses or the price of the dog. As a K-9 handler, the dog lives with the officer and their family full-time and the family said that Harry has become a member of their family like anyone’s dog would.
However, recently, Amie Morningstar, Rob’s wife, posted online that the city is allegedly not being cooperative in allowing the family to keep the dog and instead, took the dog away and is training him to be with another officer.
This is what Amie posted online:
As some of you know Robs partner Harry was taken from us this month. We are heart broken, and trying to come to grips with everything that has transpired recently. If your unaware, Rob left the city of Circleville Police department in January. Rob still was in a contract with Harry, and tho not required, offered to pay the full price for Harry so he could remain in our family and so the police department could buy a brand new K-9. It was our understanding this agreement was accepted and all we had to do was wait on City Councils approval (per the safety director). We then started to integrate Harry into our family life as a pet instead of work dog. By February Harry was full on loving his ‘pet’ life. Getting tons of love from the kids, myself and Ellie! He was eating up the attention and him and Roberts bond grew stronger than ever. Come mid February correspondence with the city became sketchy. Through our lawyers come March we wanted to take Harry to the vet but needed to make sure the city was going to honor the agreement made. We were informed that we could take him to the vet, but they weren’t going to honor the purchase agreement made and they would pick Harry up from the vet after we dropped him off. We were shaken to say the least. Confused. Angry. Emotional. I can’t even explain. We refused to take Harry to the vet. We didn’t want Harry to think we took him somewhere and just left him. How could we do that to Harry?! We couldn’t. After telling the city we couldn’t do that within an hour they came to take him from our home. We had to send Tripp to my parents house so he wouldn’t witness it. Breaking the news to the kids was awful. I’ve never seen my kids so heart broken. That was one of the longest, gut wrenching days of our life. The grieving I watched come from my children and my husband made me shake inside with hatred. A week later I’m still carrying that hate. And to be honest I don’t want it taking residence in my heart. It will only continue to hurt my family if I let it. So today I write this post, asking for three things. 1.) Prayers for Harry. Rob, the kids and I have each other we can lean on to get through this difficult time. But Harry is alone in a kennel somewhere trying to be retrained and it kills me thinking he is wondering why we haven’t came for him. Please pray for Harry. Pray he has peace. And he knows we love him and have/are trying everything to get him back. 2) For Robert. I sit here with so much pain and hate in my heart… I can’t imagine how it feels for him. I see it in his face. I hear it in his voice. I watch him walk through the house, and he is just different. I can see the weight on his shoulders from it all is so heavy!! Please pray for him that he can find some peace too!! And 3) please pray that this hate leaves my heart. I need it to leave so I can be at my full potential for my husband and kids. I need it to leave so I can be the support they need. I don’t know how this is all going to end, but your prayers will mean the world to us. #BringHarryHome
The city could not be reached for comment, but the Guardian will continue to ask the city for their side.