Photo credits: DCSO

September 17, 2026 4:00 a.m.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has announced the retirement of K9 Eros, a German Shepard trained in patrol apprehension.

A DCSO release said K9 Eros, a 8½ -year-old German Shepherd, has been a valued member of the Sheriff’s Office since November 2021. Eros was purchased by an anonymous community donor and gifted to the Sheriff’s Office. The decision for retirement comes following medical advice of his veterinary care team. Eros will continue to live with his handler where he will be a family dog for the remainder of his life.

Since joining the Sheriff’s Office, Eros has been deployed more than 100 times in support of law enforcement operations. Those deployments have resulted in:

*22 community demonstrations

*11 felony arrests

*9 misdemeanor arrests

*21 felony case assists

*19 misdemeanor case assists

*39 total captures

During his tenure, Eros had two handlers; Retired Deputy Oscar Rosas and his current handler, Deputy William Maynes.

Deputy Maynes said, “Eros has been the best partner. He has been my best friend and my backup. He’s loved his work and serving our great community”, Maynes said, “It has been my honor to have been his handler and now it’s my continued honor to give him a home as a normal dog enjoying his retirement.”

Retired Deputy Rosas said, “Eros was and still is the best companion a K9 handler can have. He has no fear and unconditional bravery in any situation. Thank you for your service, Buddy”.

The release said tThe Douglas County Sheriff’s Office K9 program has been highly active since 2013. The program would not be possible without the continued support of community members, donors, and organizations such as the Friends of Umpqua Valley Police K9 Programs, and Bailey’s Veterinary Clinic who provides medical care for the K9s at no expense.