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DAMASCUS, Va. – Former town Police Office Justin Miller was all smiles after a short called meeting of the Damascus Town Council Friday night.

He said his former K9 officer, a Dutch shepherd named Emmy, would be excited too, after he shared the good news: His more than $6,000 bid was unanimously accepted by Town Council members as the winning bid for the dog, meaning she'll get to stay with Miller.

“I’m going to have to grill her a steak to celebrate,” Miller said after the meeting. “I feel great; very relieved. I’m glad it ended the way it did.”

Miller and the Town Council were at odds earlier this summer after Miller’s resignation from the police force. He wanted to keep the dog, which he said he become a member of his family. And council members wanted the town to keep the dog, which they said is a highly valuable and trained piece of equipment.

Council members decided to put Emmy out for bid and asked for a minimum of $3,000.

Once the story about his effort to keep the dog went public, Miller went online to a crowdfunding website and quickly raised more than $9,500. He said the support was overwhelming and he plans to donate the unused money to local animal shelters.