End of watch for distinguished St. Francis K-9 officer Bane

ST. FRANCIS, Wis. (CBS 58) -- K-9 Bane, the first K-9 officer to service the St. Francis Police Dept. beginning in 2014, has passed away after battling Degenerative Myelopathy, a nerve disorder that can be compared to ALS in humans.

Bane retired from the St. Francis PD in 2020 and was honored in Dec. 2023 with a medal for bravery and distinguished service.

His partner and handler, Detective Holly McManus, took to social media on Friday, May 10 with a video to notify the public that Bane had a tumor that was likely causing him discomfort.

"If you're watching this, it's because this boy right here has ended his journey with us," McManus said with Bane lying awake by her side.

Bane was initially given a six-month life expectancy after his DM diagnosis, but as McManus said, "He wasn't gonna go down that easily." He fought the disease for two years.

McManus also expressed gratitude for the public helping support Bane's medical bills and said that Bane would not want everyone to shed tears over losing him.

"Keep up the fight. Never quit, and continue to work hard to ensure his legacy, and take care of other K-9's that entire retirement and need a little help along the way."