KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The Knox County Sheriff’s Office is saying so long to a K-9 officer that has served the department for half a decade.

K-9 “Natan” worked his last shift at KCSO on Wednesday after serving the department for five years, according to a social media post made by the sheriff’s office.

“Sheriff Tom Spangler and Chief Deputy Bernie Lyon, and our entire blue family thank you for giving us your best years, Natan! We hope there’s a lot of rest, relaxation, days by the pool, and, most importantly SNACKS in your future!” KCSO said in the post.

In November, Natan celebrated his 6th birthday. He served alongside KCSO officer Jessye Eldridge.

Last August, NATAN was injured while “performing his zoomies” off-duty, resulting in what was believed to be a pinched nerve in his back. KCSO said the injury happened when he was outside playing and may have been caused by him stepping on uneven ground. Natan was placed on bed rest for two weeks while the injury healed.

It is unclear if his retirement was related to that injury. WATE 6 On Your Side has reached out to KCSO for additional information.

In the weeks following his injury, Natan received gifts and cards from across the United States. Some of those gifts, included a quilt from Quilts for Cops in Oregon. In late September, Natan was honored with a poster from On Patrol K9, recognizing his “bravery, work excellence, and unyielding adherence to the highest ideals of law enforcement,” the image of the poster KCSO reads.

Aside from catching bad guys and patrolling the streets, Natan was involved in the community. In June, he visited residents at American House Assisted Living and in October, he attended a celebration for a woman’s 102nd birthday.

KCSO’s website says the K-9 Unit has 19 police service dog teams, of which 14 are trained to seek out and locate illegal drugs and five are trained to locate explosive materials. KCSO also has teams that are able to track fleeing criminals and missing people.