Aug. 21 (UPI) -- An Oregon sheriff's office is honoring a family's golden retriever for digging up $85,000 worth of black tar heroin in his owner's back yard.

The Yamhill County Sheriff's Office said the dog, Kenyon, was digging in the back yard of his family's home in early August when he unearthed an unusual object.


The sheriff's office said Kenyon's owners, who wished to remain anonymous, initially thought the canine had exhumed a time capsule buried by the previous owners, so they video-taped themselves opening the package.

The residents quickly determined the package's contents were some sort of controlled substance, so they contacted the sheriff's office, which identified the substance as more than 15 ounces of black tar heroin.

Sheriff Tim Svenson bestowed Kenyon with an official Yamhill County K-9 citation ribbon and named him an honorary narcotics K-9 for life.

"Opioid addiction and overdose deaths are on the rise and with the help of Kenyon this large quantity of heroin is removed from our community," the sheriff said.