WARSAW, Ind. (WOWO): An area police dog has died after a battle with cancer.

Retired K9 Buddy was a 12-year-old Belgian Melinois who joined the Warsaw Police Department in 2006 and retired in 2014 right after being diagnosed with bone cancer.

He responded to more than a thousand calls, and was not only responsible for making hundreds of arrests, but also was credited for directly saving the lives of two people.

After his retirement, he lived with his handler, Captain Joel Beam. He died on June 16 with his family at his side.