Santa Ana : Arno, Partner, Protector to Deputies, Dies at 3 1/2

He had a reputation for protecting fellow officers and catching crooks. And during his two years in the county Sheriff’s Department, he became practically a member of his partner’s family.

Arno, one of the five original dogs in the sheriff’s canine unit, died last month after battling infections and illness for nearly four months. He was 3 1/2 years old.

“Arno assisted deputies in making numerous felony and misdemeanor arrests,” said Lt. Richard Olson, a Sheriff’s Department spokesman. “At the time of his death, he had been credited with conducting more searches than any other dog in the unit.

“He also showed a keen ability to be able to protect his handler and fellow deputies . . . . Arno also became a close family pet in his off-duty hours and will be missed by all members of the family” of his partner, Deputy Bill Sorenson, Olson said.

Arno died May 26, after spending two months at a Santa Ana veterinary hospital, a sheriff’s spokesman said this week.

The cause of death was “probably some type of cancer,” said Dr. Steve Frack of the Grand Avenue Pet Hospital. The hospital is still waiting for laboratory results on tissue samples to determine the exact cause of the dog’s illness, Frack said.

“Dr. (Richard) Yamaguchi and the staff of the Grand Avenue Hospital committed themselves to trying to save Arno . . . . They showed a great deal of professionalism and humanitarianism in their efforts,” Olson said.

Sorenson has since been working with a new canine recruit, Doro, who will take Arno’s place on the force. Both dogs came from Oldehorst International Kennels in Riverside, Olson said.