This 2006 photo, provided by John Hoffart, shows then-sheriff Dan McClelland and his little police dog Midge at the Geauga County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Department. Both died on Wednesday, April 14, 2021. McClelland may have broken heart after a long battle with cancer and Midge. The family said they will be buried together. McClelland retired in 2016, after 13 years as a sheriff and 44 in total in the department. The last ten featuring Midge, a drug-sniffing Chihuahua rat terrier mix certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s smallest police dog. (John Hoffart via AP)
This 2006 photo, taken by John Hoffart, shows then-sheriff Dan McClelland and his little police dog Midge in the Geauga County, Ohio, sheriff’s department. Both died on Wednesday, April 14, 2021. McClelland may have broken heart after a long battle with cancer and Midge. The family said they will be buried together. McClelland retired in 2016, after 13 years as a sheriff and 44 in total in the department. The last ten featuring Midge, a drug-sniffing Chihuahua rat terrier mix certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s smallest police dog. (John Hoffart via AP)
CLEVELAND (AP) – The Ohio County Sheriff and his little police dog were inseparable, their lives steadfastly intertwined.
So it seems fitting that retired Geauga County Sheriff Dan McClelland, 67, and his crime-fighting partner Midge, 16, would both die Wednesday – McClelland, in a hospital after a long battle with cancer and Midge, at home a few hours later, perhaps from a broken heart.
McClelland retired in late 2016 after 13 years as a sheriff in this semi-rural county east of Cleveland. He spent a total of 44 years at the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office and a decade alongside Midge, a drug-sniffing Chihuahua rat terrier mix who was certified by Guinness World Records in 2006 as the smallest police dog in the world.
He and Midge – but especially Midge – were rock stars in Geauga County. Wherever McClelland went, Midge was by his side. In the office, she took a nap on a dog bed next to his desk. School children were captivated by their visits.
McClelland’s successor, Sheriff Scott Hildenbrand, remembers riding in a golf cart with McClelland and Midge in the passenger seat at the Great Geauga County Fair. He said it was a slow ride, as people flocked to them, stroking and fussing about Midge.
‘He used to joke that people would see him in a car in a parade and say,’ Hey, there is Midge and what’s the name, ” ‘said Hildenbrand. “I think she was more popular than him.”
Retired Lieutenant Commander John Hiscox, a longtime spokesman for the sheriff’s office, put it this way: “It was like taking Elvis Presley half way.”
Despite her size, Midge was no slouch when it came to work. It was McClelland who decided that Midge, the little one of her litter, would make an ideal drug-sniffing dog.
Unlike large and more aggressive police dogs, the gentle Midge would search vehicles without tearing up the upholstery or leaving muddy footprints. Searching among vehicles was never a problem.
Their partnership led to appearances on television daytime talk shows and features in national magazines, including Playboy. She kept her K-9 certifications until their joint retirement.
Hildenbrand said he was surprised when McClelland decided to retire and travel across the country in a recreational vehicle with his wife Beverly and of course Midge.
“He spent 44 years protecting people in this county and, frankly, loved his job every minute,” said Hildenbrand. ‘I thought he would never retire.
McClelland was a good leader who always had the interests of the county and community in mind, Hiscox said.
“He was honest and was not afraid to make a decision,” said Hiscox. “He was always ready to listen, but when he made up his mind, it was final.”
The family said McClelland and Midge will be buried together.