Brandi, the four-legged hero of the November 26 earthquake, ended up at auction after 9 years of police service and was taken to a stray dog shelter

In Albania, brought to its knees by the earthquake of November 26, 2019, the running and sniffing of Brandi, the rescue dog searching through the rubble, turned into a ray of hope for anyone whose frozen heart waited for a sign of breath from the ruins.

Brandi does not know what decorations are after that humane work he is doing together with the police officer, a loyal partner who never leaves him for a second. When everything was over, he was publicly called “the four‑legged hero”.

State Police status, dated December 5: “Brandi – the 4‑legged hero of the police, discovered the living people under the rubble of the 6‑story building in Durrës”.

At the end of the mission, how we treat them says a lot. How the heroes who do not speak fall into oblivion. How after a life on the front line and serving faithfully, in the final chapter they are not given the same loyalty. It is the moment when they retire and the badge is removed from their necks. For them, only the uniformed partners remain, facing a law that ties their hands from keeping them.

Exclusive, with Anila Hoxha, learns that Brandi, the dog of K9 missions in the State Police, did not leave the police as he deserved, like a hero who worked in the police and should have been applauded. His partner, who was with him in every service, does not stay silent, remaining loyal.

“Brandi was trained for search‑rescue and for corpses, for dead people. He was talked about a lot in the media, in all of them. He was handed over to the municipality center and we should have had the right to take him, the person who trained him, but the procedures are not like that, the rules by law say the owner takes him. I went, I wanted to buy him with money like any other citizen, not because I needed a dog, but I have a spiritual bond with him. To give him a happy death, as the Americans trained us. Brandi did miracles, he found numbers. In the swamps he saved the Lala family, where Brandi reacted,” says the police officer.

The truth is that Brandi, the four‑legged policeman who took part in hundreds of search operations, after 9 years of career was put up for auction. No one bought him.

The law does not allow their contribution in detecting drug loads, rescuing people, arresting wanted persons, sniffing out hidden weapons and money to be valued, by guaranteeing them a human thank you that would mean living with the policeman with whom they performed their duties.

Police officer Enver Hoxha says: “I inquired at the center to find the person who is keeping him. They say they don’t know, because they are worried about conflicts, that someone might ask for him. I am happy that he did not receive any injection and that he went to Sharra.”

Like Brandi, dozens of other dogs considered property of the State Police are subjected to the same procedure, a procedure that excludes his handler, the police officer, from buying and caring for him.

An end that raises questions about how we care for those who have served the country.