St. Petersburg police K-9 dies of brain tumor after years of service

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (FOX 35 ORLANDO) - Rest In Peace, K-9 Nero.

The St. Petersburg Police Department is mourning the loss of one of their beloved K-9's who passed away due to a brain tumor.

The police department posted a dedication to K-9 Nero on Facebook. They said the 7-year-old dog, who had served with the department since 2014, had to be euthanized due to his medical condition.

"For the last five years, Officer Cooper and K-9 “Nero” have tracked, sniffed out and arrested numerous bad guys," wrote the police department. "Though Nero worked hard at putting criminals behind bars, he had a special personality trait; he was actually very friendly."

Nero and his handler would often perform demonstrations and were active in the community, visiting employees in the Emergency Communications Center and attending events for the Boy Scouts.

"He will certainly be missed. The K-9 Unit and the Cooper Family are in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time."

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