Dan McClelland, 67, served with the Geauga County Police Force in Ohio for 44 years, including 13 years as sheriff.

In his service, he was helped by a dog named Midge – a cross between a Chihuahua and a Rat Terrier. She was good at finding traces of drugs and had the appropriate certificate. Dan retired in 2016 and Midge ended her career with him.

On vacation, the former policeman planned to travel around the country by car, taking his dog and wife with him. He then got sick and died in hospital from cancer. After just a few hours, Midge, who was at home, suffered a cardiac arrest. At that time she was 16 years old. Such a simultaneous death may indicate a deep emotional connection between the animal and its owner.

Midge and Dan were famous: they often became heroes of talk shows and magazine publications. This happened after the 2006 Guinness Book of Records placed Midge on its pages as the smallest police dog. Her height was 28 cm, length – 58 cm. She was the smallest in her litter, and it was McClelland who chose her for training in drug search.

He was not mistaken: unlike large and aggressive dogs, the tiny Midge searched cars delicately, leaving no dirty marks or damaging the upholstery. She also easily did her job while under the car. According to the family, Midge and Dan are buried together.