A six-year K-9 veteran of the Austin Police Department was laid to rest on Thursday, Aug. 30.

Ghost, a 7-year-old Belgian Malinois and Lt. Matt Holten’s K-9 partner, had to be euthanized after several years of complications with epilepsy. Ghost recently won first-place awards at a K-9 competition in Sauk Rapids and has received numerous other awards. Ghost, among serving the Austin Police Department for more than six years, lived with Holten and his family in Austin. He is also the offspring of the retired K-9 Tazer and a sibling to K-9 Bosco, both of the Austin Police Department.

Holten had recently told the Herald he knew the time was coming to retire Ghost, as epilepsy will eventually take its toll on dogs. Holten both retired Ghost and had him euthanized on Thursday.