McHenry police dogs Eli and Oakley can now be taken home – in stuffed animal form

Eli, the McHenry Police Department’s K-9 that graced the cover of the Northwest Herald’s Thank You, First Responders special edition Thursday, now has a plush modeled after him.

The McHenry Police Department announced earlier this week that members of the public can buy their own stuffed animals modeled after the department’s K-9, Eli, and the department’s therapy dog, Oakley.

The stuffed animals were manufactured by California-based Hero Industries, a company that makes a variety of items geared toward first responders, companies and governments, according to its website.

The stuffed animals are about 7 inches tall and cost $25 each, according to the police department’s order form. The dogs also have their own mini police uniforms, according to photos posted online.

The police department said in a Facebook post announcing the stuffed animals that proceeds from sales of the stuffed animals will go to the social services department to help community members in need.

McHenry Police Department public information officer Ashley O’Herron said the idea for the stuffed animals came from the social services department “and Oakley himself.”

Those interested in buying a stuffed animal can fill out a form at lf.cityofmchenry.org/Forms/StuffedAnimal. The department isn’t shipping the stuffed animals at this point, and arrangements will need to be made to pick up the plushes after they have been purchased.

Oakley, a golden retriever, joined the police department as a puppy and became McHenry County’s first police therapy dog. The dog comforts first responders in the department and others in the community, such as students at Duker School after a beloved teacher, Emily Schilf, died expectedly earlier this year. Schilf previously had arranged for Oakley to visit the school.

Eli, a 4-year-old German shepherd, performs searches for missing or wanted people and for illegal substances, among other skills. He joined the department in 2020, and his handler is officer Josh Conway.