(WWJ) Pawfficer Badges, who made global headlines as the first official police cat in Troy, Michigan, has died at age 2.
Badges (pictured as a kitten above) was recruited by the Troy Police Department in May of 2018, but was unable to serve when she was diagnosed with feline leukemia (FeLV); a serious and contagious disease.
"She will always be our first 'pawfficer,' and have a special place in our hearts," police said at the time.
Badges was lucky enough to find the purrfect home, however, at Leuk's Landing — a special sanctuary for kitties with leukemia — where she passed away on Feb. 8.
She was battling lymphoma and undergoing chemotherapy treatment at the time of her death.
"Badges was lovingly cared for by the people of Leuk's Landing Inc. for her two years," police said, in a video where Badges can be seen frolicking with her friends: "reserve police cats" Miranda Rights and Lt. Kel.
Troy police had promised the public the department would adopt a police cat if it could amass 10,000 Twitter followers, which they far-exceeded after the story went viral.
Following Badges early retirement, a second Troy police cat was sworn in. Pawfficer Donut continues to work with police, connecting with the community both in person and online.
“We are using social media to engage the public that we serve and make sure we get the police message out that police are human too and we want to show that we have a side of us that is beyond straight up law enforcement that we are called to do,” Troy Police Chief Gary Mayer said.
You can follow Pawfficer Donut's activities at @TroyMI_Police. To learn more about Leuk's Landing and how you can help cats like Badges, visit leukslanding.org.