DuPage County K-9 Bella Retires After Nearly 12 Years

DUPAGE COUNTY, IL — After more than a decade of service, DuPage County Sheriff's Department K-9 Deputy Bella is heading into retirement. The bloodhound has worked with the sheriff's department for just over 11 years, helping to find "hundreds of missing people and countless suspects," the DuPage County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.

DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick said in a statement, "I’d like to thank Deputy Bella for more than 11 years of service to DuPage County residents and surrounding communities. We always knew when we called Bella we’d get a quick resolution."

Bella's duties will be taken over by Hope, a young bloodhound who was named in memory of Baby Hope, whose body was found in unincorporated Wheaton in 2016.

Bella's handler and partner, Deputy Laura Richardson said in a statement that Bella will "miss the work but she’s grown to love just laying out in the sun in the backyard all day." She added, “Hope also keeps her busy at home, stealing her ball and keeping her on her toes.”

The press release said Bella plans to spend her retirement getting belly rubs and sunbathing in the backyard.