K-9 Mibo sits down while working during the Steelers game on August 13. Submitted photo, Officer Mark Heider

K9 Mibo in front of the Washington Monument for Police Week in Washington, D.C., earlier this year. Submitted photo, Officer Mark Heider

More than a dozen first responder agencies participated in a police escort Saturday in honor of Middlesex Township Police Department’s K-9 officer Mibo, who died Aug. 14.

The German shepherd/Belgian Malinois was 9 years old and had been working at the department since he was just 1. Mibo’s handler, K-9 Officer Mark Heider, took his partner to be cremated at Green Pet Funeral Home and Crematory in Bellevue on Saturday, and was then police-escorted back to his home.

He said it was comforting to see so many police and fire departments come out to honor Mibo’s memory.

“They did an escort since he was an on-duty K-9 on the time of his death,” Heider said. “They shut down the route because there were so many cars in the procession. It was all pretty impressive.”

Mibo, who had been with Middlesex Township’s police department since 2015, died of a “medical emergency,” according to the department. Mibo was trained in explosive and gun detection along with patrol duties.

Heider said Mibo was well-known among other departments, which is why so many came to pay their respects Saturday.

“We did a ton of details, and we backed up guys all the time,” he said. “Since we were part of that region group, we were everywhere. That's why I think there's such an outpouring — he was extremely well-known throughout Western Pa.”

Heider said the procession Saturday was a great way to honor his fallen faithful friend.

“It was quite the procession, I was quite overwhelmed by that,” Heider said.