K9 police dogs are an important part of any police department. They are especially important to their trainers on the force, who see them not just as an animal helper, but as a true partner on the job.

This was especially true for an Ohio police officer and his one-of-a-kind K9 partner, whose lives and careers were forever linked, en.newsner writes.

And this week, in a sad but sweet conclusion to their story, the two officers died on the same day, within hours of each other.

The Geauga County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday that Sheriff Dan McClelland, who served the county for 44 years before retiring in 2016, has died at the age of 67.

And her former partner, a Chihuahua-rat terrier mix named Midge, died a few hours later, looking heartbroken.

Sheriff McClelland has been considered a “pillar” of his community during his decades in law enforcement, including 13 years as sheriff.

He won Geauga County’s Emerald Leader Award in 2014, and his bio lists career accomplishments as taking down a major burglary ring and saving another deputy’s life by disarming an armed suspect.

“It’s always been about family and bringing people together,” McClelland said of his career.

But as impressive as his resume was, he spent much of his career with his partner Midge, who was quite the celebrity.

Standing 11 inches tall and 23 inches long, Midge earned the Guinness World Record for smallest police dog in 2006. Despite her diminutive size, Midge was a professional drug-sniffing K9.