Top bidder gets AZ sheriff's arm sling for $2,600 - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

The man who bought a sling that an Arizona sheriff wore while his broken shoulder was healing picked up his $2,600 purchase Thursday.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio presented Buck Dikes with the sling Thursday morning at the sheriff's MASH unit in the former First Avenue Jail.

The money from Dikes' eBay purchase is going to Arpaio's no-kill animal shelter, MASH, which stands for Marco County Sheriff's Office Animal Safe House. MASH was created to house and care for animals that have been abused or neglected by their caretakers and rescued by the Animal Crimes Investigations Unit.

MCSO said the money was used to buy two dog treadmills to help the dogs in the shelter get exercise during the hot summer months when walking on the pavement can hurt their paws.

Dikes is a police canine trainer from California.

Arpaio announced the auction on the eve of his 81st birthday.

Arpaio tripped and fell on his shoulder Feb. 28 while crossing a street. He said he was on his way to a restaurant to get a quick bowl of soup. The bone broke in two places.    

"I was attacked by the sidewalk," said the self-proclaimed "Toughest Sheriff in America." Arpaio said he came close to hitting his head on a curb, but was fortunate to walk away with no other injuries, besides a few scrapes.

Arpaio spent two days in the hospital. During that time, MCSO released a photo on Twitter of Arpaio and his wife Ava in his hospital room. He then spent two weeks recuperating.

The sheriff ended up wearing the sling for nearly three months.

The sling was on eBay as "Sheriff Joe Arpaio Arm Sling" and Arpaio autographed it for the winning bidder. The offer also included several autographed photos of Arpaio in various poses wearing the sling.

For more information or donations, call Mash at 602-876-1212 or email MASH@mcso.maricopa.gov.

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