ALEXANDRIA, LA.- For Alexandria police officer Keith Mouliere, the saying "a dog is a man's best friend" is one that he is all too familiar with.
For Keith and his police dog Arco....it was puppy love at first sight the day Keith picked him up.
"He jumped up and put his feet in my lap and put his head on my shoulders as if to say you know 'It's going to be all right' and it was just gravy after that," says Mouliere.
Arco was an award-winning police dog, but what stands out the most is his dedication to the job...such as his heroic part in
Grant Parish's Y Street shooting back in 2003 which Keith says was one of Arco's crowning achievements.
"Arco went into the house, conducted the search like a champ let us know where the bad guy was and the bad guy didn't surrender. He actually pushed open a closet door and bit him and held him there until we got there," adds Mouliere.
Although serious about his job, Arco was also a bit of a clown at times just like any other dog.
"I was standing a the doorway and I kind of looked away for a second and he started laughing and he said Arco found something and I'm thinking oh we have some kind of drugs and everything and I look up and he's got a great big SpongeBob in his mouth."
The time they did have with him came to an end this week when Arco passed away at the age of 14....but the reason why is shocking.
"An increase in the number of dogs in the Southern Mississippi River Valley area that are becoming heart worm positive in spite of the fact they're getting their preventatives," says local veterinarian Dr. Bari Haas.
Sadly, Arco was one of those dogs even though his owners say the took good care of him.
"Arco had been getting his medication and in spite of that he still developed heart worm disease for a second time," adds Haas.
And those who knew Arco say he will be greatly missed by everyone in the CenLa community.
"He was unique you know, I loved him. We had our days where things didn't work out and then we had our days when we couldn't do anything wrong," says Mouliere.
And the Mouliere's say that Arco was a treasured member of their family and that he will be greatly missed. Dr. Haas says it is important to make sure your pet gets regular heart worm treatment every month and she also says pets should be tested for heart worms a minimum of once a year.
