K9 Beny retires after nearly decade-long career, seized over $10.2M in drugs

MERCED, Calif. (KFSN) -- After 56 years of work successful canine years, K9 Beny is hanging up his collar and officially retiring from California Highway Patrol.

Based successful Merced, Beny has served arsenic a dual-purpose K9, with a specialty successful narcotics.

Beny, is nary mean constabulary dog, his stats speaking for themselves.

With his keen nose, he's helped prehend implicit 1,000 pounds of unsafe drugs disconnected the streets, estimated to outgo implicit $10.2 million.

"I deliberation it's harmless to accidental without immoderate hesitation that Beny's efforts person saved countless lives," said CHP Captain John Staricka.

On apical of his seizures, Beny helped execute astir 30 apprehensions and 200 arrests.

Most notably, Beny assisted successful the largest seizure of fentanyl successful the Central Valley astatine the clip backmost successful 2022.

But it takes a duo, Beny's handler, Sergeant Kensey, by his broadside each measurement of the way. He describes the enslaved they share, arsenic unbreakable.

"This is astir apt the champion spouse I've ever had. We've been to immoderate precise hairy situations unneurotic astatine work, apprehending suspects oregon things going sideways, and I had to telephone connected Beny and helium stepped in, and helium saved the day," said Kensey.

Beny precocious tore his ACL, and though helium was capable to marque a afloat recovery, Kensey decided it was a bully clip for him to instrumentality a measurement backmost from transgression fighting.

"He's done a batch for the authorities and for its citizens. Let's spell up and nonstop him disconnected and fto him bask his retirement," said Sgt. Kensey.

His benignant property making him a section personage during his career.

"A batch of radical deliberation constabulary dogs are gruff. That's not Beny astatine all. He's got a batch of charm; he's got a batch of manners. He's loved by everybody due to the fact that he's conscionable a bully dog," said Cpt. Staricka.

Above his celebrity, Beny's work and bequest volition permission a lasting people connected the assemblage forever.

"I'd similar to judge that wherever helium impacted the astir was a child's beingness retired determination to marque bully decisions. Or privation to beryllium a canine handler oregon law-enforcement oregon immoderate different nationalist work idiosyncratic aboriginal erstwhile they turn older, I'd similar to judge that that's the longest lasting interaction that he's had connected our communities," said Cpt. Staricka.

Beny's privation for his status was a bully large steak, which came existent connected his past day.

He volition beryllium spending the remainder of his status with his handler, doing tons of swimming and eating plentifulness of apples.

CHP does program to capable his relation with different K9 successful the adjacent future.

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