Baldwin County officers push for fund to cover retired police K9 medical bills

Police officers in Baldwin County are working to create a retirement fund to help handlers pay for medical care for retired police K9s, many of which face lasting, work-related health problems.

By James Bullard

October 28, 2026 · 9:38 am Updated October 30, 2026 3 min read

A police K9 sits beside its handler.

BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala. — When a retired police K9 leaves the job, its medical needs often keep growing, and the bills fall to the officer who worked beside it. Now officers across Baldwin County are working to create a fund to help cover that care.

The effort grew out of experiences like those of officers in Fairhope and Daphne, whose dogs were forced into early retirement by illness or injury. Organizers hope the fund will eventually expand statewide.

Bauer’s last day on the job

For eight years, K9 Bauer worked alongside Cpl. Andrew Babb of the Fairhope Police Department. The pair responded to calls ranging from traffic stops to home invasions.

That changed in February 2025, when Bauer was diagnosed with a degenerative back disease.

“He was diagnosed with a degenerative back disease,” Babb said. “What started out as just a normal day at work ended in being Bauer’s final day.”

Babb said the veterinarian warned that continuing to work could be dangerous for the dog.

“The vet told us, I mean, one bad move for this dog, a bad jump, a bad bite, could put him in a position where we’d have to put him down,” he said. “So, that was his last day. I get a little emotional about it because he’s my boy.”

Two early retirements in Daphne

Bauer’s story is not unique. Cpl. Brendan Stanley of the Daphne Police Department said two of his K9 partners have had to retire early.

K9 Tessa served with Daphne police for about eight years before she died of cancer. His other K9, Charles Lee Ray, developed a serious autoimmune disease and had to retire after two years of service.

Stanley said the drive that makes these dogs good at police work does not fade when their bodies begin to fail.

“These dogs that are picked to work, they’re not couch potatoes,” Stanley said. “Their bodies are slowing down, but their mind does not. The dog is always on, I mean, at any moment they’d be ready to get back up and go back to work, whether their body can take it or not.”

The bills don’t retire

Under the current arrangement, handlers are responsible for their retired dogs’ care, including ongoing treatment for injuries and illnesses tied to their years of work, according to the officers.

Police K9s are commonly breeds such as German shepherds, Belgian Malinois and Labrador retrievers, chosen for their drive, intelligence and athleticism. Their work can involve running, jumping, climbing and physical confrontations with suspects, all of which can take a toll on joints and backs over time. Like other aging dogs, they can also develop cancer and other serious illnesses.

When a K9 retires, it often goes home to live with its handler, who has cared for the dog throughout its career. But once a dog is off the job, the cost of veterinary care such as specialist visits, imaging, surgery, medication and long-term treatment for chronic conditions can add up quickly, and in many cases it falls to the handler and their family.

A fund for former partners

Officers across Baldwin County are now working to set up a fund to help ease that financial burden, with the goal of eventually growing the program across Alabama.

“We want to give them the same care and compassion that they deserve after they retire,” Stanley said.

Organizers have not yet announced details such as how the fund will be structured, how much it aims to raise or how handlers would apply for help. Residents interested in supporting the effort can watch for updates from local police departments, including Fairhope and Daphne.

“From catching criminals to catching table scraps”

For Babb, the goal is simple: to repay Bauer for years of service to the community.

“He went from catching criminals to catching table scraps,” Babb said. “He performed above and beyond what he was called to do. And so now I just want to give him a life that is as comfortable as the life that he gave to all the citizens of Fairhope.”

Police K9s play a range of roles in departments large and small, from tracking suspects and missing people to detecting narcotics and helping officers make arrests safely. Supporters of the fund say that after years of protecting their communities, these dogs deserve some protection of their own.