Latest news with #police dog
CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
Brandon Police Service mourning loss of police dog
The Brandon Police Service (BPS) is mourning the loss of a nine-year-old police dog named Storm. On Tuesday, the service announced the dog passed away peacefully in his sleep on Friday. Storm, who was born on Dec. 24, 2015, joined the BPS police service dog unit in December 2017, where he served as the partner to Const. Shawn Haggarty. During his time with police, Storm helped in high-risk operations, tracked suspects involved in serious crimes, and aided in the seizure of illicit drugs and contraband. He also had the chance to work alongside his own offspring, Zeus and Blink. 'But Storm's legacy goes far beyond his operational success,' BPS said in a social media post. 'To Shawn, his family, and all of us at BPS, he was the perfect partner—loyal, courageous, intelligent, and gentle. Storm was as exceptional at home as he was in the field, bonding deeply with Shawn's family and becoming a cherished companion.' Brandon police said Storm will be forever missed and thanked the pup for protecting the community.
CBS News
a day ago
- CBS News
Georgia police dog dies after being left in hot patrol car for "unacceptable amount of time," sheriff's office says
A newly-deputized police dog died Sunday in Georgia, after her handler left her alone in a hot car for "an unacceptable amount of time," said the sheriff's office where the K-9 provided her services. Named K-9 Georgia, the dog died in the kennel inside of her handler's patrol vehicle as the heat index rose to about 100 or 102 degrees in Trenton, a city in the northwestern corner of Georgia, according to the Dade County Sheriff's Office. The handler had gone into the office building when Georgia was left unattended in the patrol car. The sheriff's office said it fired the dog's handler, who was not identified, and the incident would be turned over to the Dade County District Attorney's Office to determine if charges would be filed. "On July 13th, we tragically lost our newest member of our K-9 team; K-9 Georgia," the office wrote Tuesday in a news release, adding that "a combination" of factors caused the dog's death. The sheriff's office investigated the incident and determined the air conditioning system in the handler's patrol car malfunctioned while Georgia was inside, to the extent that fixing it required "total replacement of the compressor." A compressor is the core piece of an air conditioning unit that allows it to emit cool air. A heat alarm inside the patrol car also malfunctioned, the office said. The alarm is a safety mechanism designed to monitor the temperature in the car and, when it gets too hot, activate its sirens or send notifications to the cell phone of a K-9 dog's handler, according to the National Police Dog Foundation, which notes on its website that "heat exhaustion is a major cause of death for active K-9s." In June 2023, another police dog in Cobb County, Georgia, near Atlanta, died after being left inside its handler's hot car without a functioning air conditioning system. The sheriff's office said the broken temperature systems, "coupled with K-9 Georgia being left unattended for what we considered to be an unacceptable amount of time" inside her handler's car, contributed to the dog's death. It plans to implement new policies for handlers, which will include prohibiting them from leaving dogs in their cars unsupervised "for extended periods of time" during the summer. The Dade County District Attorney's Office is determining whether to prosecute the case. "Our hearts are aching at the loss of K-9 Georgia," the sheriff's office said. "Many of you know that she was donated to us by a local family, at no cost to the sheriff's office. She was an amazing bloodhound who was sweet, goofy, and had all the potential to be the 'best of the best'. She will be deeply missed by everyone at our office, and by anyone who had the pleasure to meet her."
BBC News
2 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
PD Jura: 'Profound shock' as Leicestershire police dog dies
A police dog who shared a "remarkable bond" with his handler, who was having cancer treatment during their training, has died after falling ill while off Jura died aged five after having emergency surgery for a suspected case of gastric torsion on Friday, Leicestershire Police force said the dog had fallen ill on Wednesday afternoon and was immediately taken to the vet by handler PC Darren social media, the force's dogs section said Jura's loss had come as "a profound shock" and colleagues had lost "a treasured member of our team". In a statement, the force said: "Initially there was hope that PD Jura would recover but sadly he passed away on Friday."PD Jura was a much-loved member of our policing family and an exceptional police dog." Jura was just a few weeks old when he started his initial training in 2020 with PC Sewell in 2020, who had been diagnosed with stage 4 work together saw PC Sewell given a Special Recognition Award by the Thin Blue Paw Foundation, a charity which supports serving and retired police became a fully-fledged member of the force's dog section in 2021 and along with PC Sewell, "had outstanding operational success".The statement added: "We want to thank PD Jura for his service to the force and the communities we serve. He will be deeply missed by so many."A spokesperson for the Thin Blue Paw Foundation said Jura had a "remarkable bond" with PC Sewell, and the training sessions "provided a welcomed escape for Darren while undergoing chemotherapy treatment".PC Sewell was by Jura's side when he died, the charity added.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Retired police dog helping owner living with chronic illness
A retired police dog is helping its owner live with chronic illness. Donja, a seven-year-old German Shepherd, served with the Ministry of Defence Police for three-and-a-half years before being retired early due to spondylosis, a degenerative spinal condition. The former general-purpose police dog spent its career patrolling MoD sites including RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, and also supported operations with Hampshire Constabulary and Thames Valley Police. PC Ash Collins, who worked alongside Donja, said: "Donja was intelligent, intuitive and demonstrated great problem-solving skills, and she was brilliant at tracking. "She was wonderful at her job and a fabulous partner to have." Read more Dogs Trust issues warning to dog owners about chocolate Meet the four-legged visitor bringing smiles to care home residents Woman leaves 20-year career in banking to launch premium cat sitting service Retired police dog Donja has been helping its owner Heidi Collins, living with a chronic illness. (Image: Thin Blue Paw Foundation) Since retirement, Donja - or Donna Kebab as her family affectionately call her - has lived with PC Collins and his wife Heidi at their home in Wiltshire, where she has become an unexpected source of comfort. Heidi Collins, 40, said: "Donna has been such a comfort and support while I've been struggling with my own chronic illness. Heidi lives with endometriosis, fibromyalgia and polycystic ovary syndrome. "I had to leave my job in veterinary medicine to work from home due to the decline in my physical health. "Donna always knows when I'm having a flare-up, sometimes even before I do. "She won't leave my side and insists on following me, keeping a close eye on me, and laying by my side when I'm feeling unwell." Donja was retired early due to a degenerative spinal condition. (Image: Thin Blue Paw Foundation) The Thin Blue Paw Foundation, a charity supporting retired police dogs, now helps cover the cost of Donja's medication and provides free food through a partnership with Barking Heads. Kieran Stanbridge, chairman of the Thin Blue Paw Foundation, said: "Donja spent years working hard as a police dog, supporting the Ministry of Defence. "But even in retirement she's continued to do so much, now for her owner, Heidi. "Their relationship shows how wonderful dogs can be for our mental and physical health. "And after everything Donja has done, it's only fair that she gets to enjoy her retirement pain-free. "We're proud that we can be there to help support her, so she can continue to support Heidi." Donja now enjoys long walks, playtime and plenty of rest, with a bed on every floor of the family's townhouse. Heidi said: "Even on my hardest days, I feel so lucky to have Donja with me."
Telegraph
6 days ago
- Telegraph
Stray pup goes from life on the streets to police recruit
An eight-week-old stray puppy has been welcomed as a new recruit at a North Eastern police force. The Belgian Malinois, now named Jager, was found roaming the streets of Hartlepool last week when it was picked up by officers and taken to animal charity Stray Aid. Staff there said they noticed the dog's potential and alerted Durham Constabulary's Dog Support Unit. Jager is now officially in training as a general purpose police dog. If all goes well, the puppy will be licensed and ready for duty within 12 to 18 months. A Durham Constabulary spokesman described Jager as 'already a pro at tug of war'. General purpose dogs are trained to chase down suspects, track missing people, and support officers on the front line. While German Shepherds remain the most common breed used by police, Dutch Herders and Belgian Malinois like Jager are increasingly used as part of the pack. Jager isn't the only new four-legged recruit at Durham Police. Earlier this month, the force introduced three explosive detection dogs – springer spaniels Gracie, Angus and Teddy – who recently passed their final assessments after a six-week course. Gracie was adopted from a rescue charity, Angus came through the force's own puppy development programme, and Teddy was donated by a member of the public. The trio will be deployed across County Durham and Darlington, and will also assist with high-profile events across the UK.
