Trending

“Puppy Doe’ no more: Sheriff’s office selects crowdsourced name for newest K-9 officer

UNION COUNTY, N.C. — The Union County Sheriff’s Office’s newest employee finally has a name.

>> Read more trending news

Sherriff Eddie Cathey crowdsourced ideas for the 11-week-old German shepherd puppy, previously referred to as “Puppy Doe,” and winnowed the nominees to nine contenders. According to WSOC-TV, online voting on the sheriff’s office official Facebook page closed at noon Monday, and a winner was crowned.

“After tallying all the reactions, messages, handwritten letters, and phone calls, the name ‘Griff’ has proven to be the most popular name with over 2,000 votes by the public!” Cathey confirmed in a follow-up post early Monday evening.

We Proudly Introduce UCSO K-9 “Griff” For all those who have followed and participated in the naming campaign for the...

Posted by Union County Sheriff's Office, Monroe, NC on Monday, August 15, 2022

The pup’s new name honors Sgt. Brian Griffin’s unyielding dedication and contributions to the sheriff’s department’s K-9 program for the past 22 years, WSOC reported.

“In the past, Sgt. Griffin has been the primary handler of bloodhounds ‘Scrappy’ and ‘Ruby’ and has also been the handler for explosives detection K-9 ‘Tina,’” Cathey wrote in the post.

>> Need something to lift your spirits? Read more uplifting news

According to WSOC, the eight other names making the short list included:

  • Axel: Stands for “Father of Peace.” Honors U.S. Navy SEAL Matthew Axleson, who sacrificed his life in Operation Red Wings during the war in Afghanistan in 2005.
  • Honor: Recognizes the 158 law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
  • Kane: Associated with “warrior” or “tribute” in various languages.
  • Logan: In honor of a local young man, who is on the autism spectrum and has dedicated his life to the care and well-being of all little creatures, especially dogs.
  • Radar: A radar system is a vital tool utilized to monitor the locations of important people places and things in different situations.
  • Thor: The name signifies strength and is often associated with thunder in Greek mythology.
  • Union: In honor of Union County, which was founded in 1842.
  • Valor: Defined as “strength of mind or spirit that enables one to encounter danger with firmness.”