K-9 Fang memorialized by Jacksonville Pet Funeral Home

Elizabeth Pace, Action News Jax
·1 min read

The Jacksonville Pet Funeral Home and Memorial Park will be hosting a memorial in honor of K-9 Fang, who was shot and killed in the line of duty on Sept. 30.

The event starts Monday, Oct. 8, and goes until that Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. However, Jacksonville Pet Funeral Home owner and director Jimmy Hughey said the park where the memorial statue is stationed will be open to the public 24 hours this week. They will also provide a memorial book for citizens to write a message to Fang’s handler, if they choose to do so.

Last Sunday, Action News Jax reported on the 17-year-old who police said admitted to shooting and killing Fang during an armed kidnapping.

RELATED STORY: JSO: 17-year-old accused of fatally shooting JSO K-9

“They did their job, they sacrificed the ultimate, but they’re recognized at a permanent memorial,” Hughey said.

The funeral home has also memorialized six other law enforcement K-9s in the past. Hughey said two of them were killed in the line of duty and now Fang makes the third.

Hughey said they are disassociated with any law enforcement agency for this event, and he is hosting this to support the Jacksonville’s Sheriff’s Office.

He added that he takes a special interest in these cases after witnessing the “uniqueness” of these animals and their jobs with law enforcement.

“They do their jobs very well to protect our civil freedoms and ask nothing of themselves in return except for that Kong, that special toy,” Hughey said. “When they get done with their job, they get to play with that toy, and that’s their reward.”