Detectives are investigating the deaths of two police dogs found dead in a police vehicle in Sydney’s south.
Their handler made the tragic discovery when they went to check on police dog Xtra and development dog Soldier about 12.30pm today, NSW Police said.
They were at a development day at a Lucas Heights facility and were “in the air-conditioned pods of their purpose-built police vehicles”, police said.
NSW Police said the animals were found dead when the handler carried out a “routine check”.
The canines were taken to a specialist veterinary clinic but couldn’t be revived.
Police launched an investigation but did not reveal any information about how they died or whether there were problems with the vehicle.
The probe will be overseen by detectives attached to Sutherland Police Area Command and Fleet Services, which takes in the Lucas Heights area.
Commissioner Karen Webb paid tribute to the German shepherds, which she said were highly trained.
“Today is a very sad day for the dog unit and the thoughts of the whole police family are with them,” she said.
“We owe it to PD Xtra and DD Soldier to conduct a thorough investigation.”
The temperature in Lucas Heights peaked today at 27 degrees about 12.30pm. The RSPCA warns it can be 47 degrees in a car within an hour when it’s just 22 degrees outside, but police would not comment on whether heat was a factor.
Assistant Commissioner Stephen Hegarty said the loss would be felt deeply.
“Our focus is on the welfare of all staff involved with ongoing support services made available to them,” he said.
Xtra had been with the force since 2018 and was working out of the Newcastle and Central Coast region while Soldier only started with the dog unit in February this year for training and development.
He was involved in several arrests publicised by the dog unit, including finding an alleged offender hiding under a house in Mereweather and tracking a man and woman through heavy bushland in 2021.
Xtra was among a crop of five canine recruits named by chronically ill kids from The Children’s Hospital at Westmead in 2017.
At the time, police said involving the community in naming was a long running tradition and the hospital said it was a “special” memory the patients would treasure”.
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