The most decorated Secret Service dog in US history dies

The White House announced the death of K9 Hurricane, the most decorated U.S. Secret Service dog in history. Through its official X account, the White House expressed, "Hurricane was a true American hero. The most decorated K-9 in U.S. history, he bravely defended the White House and spent retirement helping other working dogs through @Hurricane_K9. His legacy of courage and loyalty will live on. Rest easy, Hurricane."

According to statements from Hurricane's officer-in-charge, Marshall Mirarchi, the 16-year-old black Belgian Shepherd had been dealing with numerous health issues during his final months of life, stemming from heavy injuries sustained in his last stint with the country's Secret Service Special Operations canine unit. Mirarchi explained that while the canine officially retired in 2016, his health remained impaired over the past 11 years due to a series of serious injuries sustained during his protective assignments at the White House.

Injuries and decorations

The officer and Hurricane's "dad" explained that the most serious injury took place in 2014, during the administration of former President Barack Obama, when an intruder entered the White House. News of the event immediately went viral, given the bravery shown by the dog in tackling the intruder and knocking him down, despite receiving brutal blows to the head and side. Although the dog received the corresponding treatment for his injuries, the after-effects were sufficient to force him to retire.

One of the highlights of his career was when he received the Distinguished Service in War and Peace Medal for Animals at the Capitol in Washington D.C., the first dog in history to receive this distinction. In addition, the dog was awarded the Department of Homeland Security Award for Valor, the Department of Homeland Security Secretary's Award for Valor, the PDSA Order of Merit, the AMC Top Dog Award and the U.S. Secret Service Award of Merit.