INDIANAPOLIS -- The task sounded simple enough: get an official photo of Indiana Conservation Officer Levi Knach with his K-9 partner, Kenobi.
But while Knach tried to play things straight, Kenobi’s playful nature and affection for his handler got the best of him.
Indiana State Parks posted four photos on Facebook of the adorable portrait session involving Knach and Kenobi. Knach couldn’t help but break out into a smile as Kenobi licked his face, leaving his hat askew in one of the photos.
The pictures went viral courtesy of the cute animal-centric Aww subreddit on Reddit, where they received more than 53,000 upvotes.
Knach and Kenobi work in DNR Law Enforcement District 2, which covers northeastern Indiana. And make no mistake about it, despite his adorable nature, Kenobi is no pushover on the job.
“He is a trained, working officer and can track people and locate a variety of objects ranging from venison to ginseng,” the post said.
“We are grateful for the work that our ICOs do all over the state to protect and serve people and to conserve our fish and wildlife resources.”