Cobb County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Officer Athos dies from cancer complications

Cobb Sheriff’s Office K-9 Athos passed away recently due to complications from cancer, as confirmed by a spokesperson from the sheriff’s office. Athos became a part of the sheriff’s office team in 2017 and his journey came to an end on July 18. 

Deputy Anita Lucas-Dykstra, Athos’ devoted partner and handler, shared that he was seven years old at the time of his passing. Lucas-Dykstra fondly expressed, “Our connection was built on trust and a profound emotional bond. Athos was more than just my partner; he was my closest friend and a cherished member of my family. He possessed a remarkable olfactory sense that aided us countless times in locating individuals.”

Throughout his career, Athos was lauded for his remarkable ability to locate people and gather evidence. Noteworthy among his accomplishments was the discovery of a missing 10-year-old autistic boy who had run away from home in June. Athos and Lucas-Dykstra responded to the call as their shift was ending, and astonishingly, Athos located the boy hidden in the bushes within just 10 minutes.

In another instance, Athos demonstrated his unique skills by locating a 15-year-old boy who had made threats of suicide. By simply smelling the boy’s bicycle seat, Athos tracked him to a wooded area near his high school. Thanks to Athos’s intervention, the boy was found unharmed and able to receive the necessary medical care, as confirmed by the sheriff’s office.

Athos was set to retire on medical grounds later this year. The sheriff’s office shared in their statement on Athos’s passing, “His impact reached far and wide, touching lives through his service and presence in community events. It was a privilege to have K-9 Athos as a member of the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office family, and his absence will be deeply felt by all of us.”