October 31st 2024.
Authorities are currently investigating the heartbreaking deaths of two police dogs who were found lifeless inside a police vehicle in the southern part of Sydney. According to the NSW Police, their handler was the one who made the devastating discovery when they went to check on police dog Xtra and development dog Soldier at around 12:30pm today. The duo was participating in a development day at a facility in Lucas Heights, where they were comfortably situated in the air-conditioned pods of their specially designed police vehicles.
As per the NSW Police, the handler found the two canines deceased during a routine check. Despite being immediately rushed to a specialized veterinary clinic, the efforts to revive them were unfortunately unsuccessful. A thorough investigation was launched by the authorities, however, no details have been disclosed regarding the cause of their deaths or if there were any issues with the vehicle. The case will be closely monitored by detectives from Sutherland Police Area Command and Fleet Services, which covers the Lucas Heights area.
Commissioner Karen Webb expressed her condolences for the highly trained German shepherds, stating that today was a very somber day for the entire dog unit and that the thoughts of the entire police family were with them. She emphasized the importance of conducting a thorough investigation in honor of PD Xtra and DD Soldier. The temperature in Lucas Heights had reached its peak at 27 degrees at the time of the discovery. The RSPCA has warned that temperatures inside a car can reach up to 47 degrees within an hour when it's only 22 degrees outside, however, the authorities have not commented on whether heat played a role in the tragic incident.
Assistant Commissioner Stephen Hegarty expressed deep sorrow over the loss and assured that the well-being of all the staff involved was their top priority, with support services being made available to them. Xtra had been a member of the force since 2018 and was assigned to work in the Newcastle and Central Coast region, while Soldier had only recently joined the dog unit in February of this year for training and development. He had been involved in several high-profile arrests, including uncovering an alleged offender hiding under a house in Mereweather and tracking a man and woman through dense bushland earlier this year.
In 2017, Xtra had been one of the five canine recruits named by children suffering from chronic illnesses at The Children's Hospital at Westmead. This tradition of involving the community in naming the new recruits was a long-standing one, and the hospital had described it as a "special" memory that the young patients would always cherish. The loss of these two brave and dedicated police dogs has deeply saddened the entire police force, and they will be greatly missed.
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