An Orange County police dog is probably the first animal to have his life and contributions recognized in a memorial resolution by the Virginia General Assembly.

 

Sen. Edd Houck, D-Spotsylvania County, sponsored the resolution for Bodi, the German shepherd who was shot to death while on the job for the county Sheriff's Office in July of 1996.

 

Memorial resolutions for people who have died in the last year and who have made significant contributions to their communities are common in both houses of the state legislature.

 

"I was a little hesitant to do this," Houck said. "I was afraid that people would think I was trivializing something solemn, or that there would be snickers and grins.

 

"But Bodi's death was a real tragedy. He meant an awful lot to those people over there, and I'm their representative."

 

Houck said that Bodi was a gift to the Sheriff's Office. He had been purchased with money raised by various organizations and individuals in the county. Bodi was born March 31, 1992 and he was four years old when he died.

 

Bodi was shot and killed by a suspect he was chasing. Fabian Henry was attempting to elude arrest on charges of driving on a suspended license.

 

Henry was convicted in December 1996 of maliciously killing a police dog, eluding a police officer, driving after being declared a habitual offender and obstructing justice by force or threat.

 

Both legislative houses passed the resolution, with no snickers or grins.