Investigation launched into deaths of two police dogs
Detectives are investigating the deaths of two police dogs after they were found dead in a police vehicle in Sydney's south.
Police dog Xtra and development dog Soldier had attended a development day with their handler in Lucas Heights.
Authorities said the two German shepherds had been kept in air-conditioned pods in the police vehicle purpose-built for them.
Their handler made the tragic discovery when they went to check on the dogs about 12.30pm on Thursday.
“They were taken to a specialist veterinary clinic but were unable to be revived,” NSW Police said in a statement.
An investigation overseen by detectives from the Sutherland Police Area Command and Fleet Services is now underway.
Authorities did not reveal any information about how they died or whether there were problems with the vehicle.
Commissioner Karen Webb paid tribute to the highly trained German shepherds, who were vital for officers serving the community.
“Today is a very sad day for the Dog Unit and the thoughts of the whole police family are with them,” Webb said.
“We owe it to PD Xtra and DD Soldier to conduct a thorough investigation.”
Assistant Commissioner Stephen Hegarty said the loss would be felt deeply by the police officers.
"Our focus is on the welfare of all staff involved with ongoing support services made available to them," he said.
Xtra gained accreditation as a general-purpose dog in 2018 while Soldier only began service with the Dog Unit in February this year for training and development.
Image: NSW Police Force