KNOXVILLE, Tenn — The University of Tennessee Police Department announced one of its K-9s, Tica, is retiring after eight years of serving the university.
That’s 272 basketball games, 240 concerts, meets, and special events, and 192 football-related activities for the explosives detection dog, according to the university.
Tica's last day on the job will be March 28.
Tica, a 9-year-old Belgian Malinois, joined UTPD in 2013 and was one of two police dogs who helped launch the department’s K-9 program, according to the university.
The other, Bira, died in October 2020. Both dogs were born in Poland and brought to the United States through Iron Heart High Performance Working Dogs in Shawnee, Kansas, according to UT.
UTPD said it currently has four K-9 officers.
The department said she is still in good health, but her handler, Corporal Mary Cameron has noticed the nearly 10-year-old K-9 is slowing down.
The university said Tica will live out her golden years with Cameron's family.