PORTAGE | Eros has sniffed out his share of illegal drugs and bad guys during his eight years with partner Sgt. Mark Monks.

But after an emergency surgery for a ruptured disc Wednesday, the German shepherd will no longer be able to work as a Portage police K-9.

Instead, Eros — the last of the department's K-9s — will spend his remaining days with Monks and his family.

"I just can't walk away after eight years," Monks said. "If there's a chance to fix him, we wanted to take that chance."

The city paid for testing for Eros, but Monks will pay for the dog's surgery and care.

The cost is expected to be $4,000 to $5,000. Monks is hoping some of the people Eros has helped in the past will now come to the dog's aid by providing monetary donations.

Monks noticed this fall that Eros was having some problems with his hind legs. He was a bit wobbly and didn't like to jump into the squad car.

Eros progressively got worse, Monks said. Visits to local veterinarians and the emergency clinic at Purdue University North Central indicated the dog might be suffering from some sort of neurological problem.