The death of two German shepherds inside a police vehicle was reportedly caused by a “technical problem” with specially manufactured air conditioning modules.
The bodies of police dog Xtra and development dog Soldier were found in the NSW Police vehicle about 12.30pm on Thursday after they attended a command development day at a Lucas Heights facility with your guide.
It is understood that before their deaths, the two dogs were “exercised” and underwent a routine check at 12.30pm before their bodies were discovered. The dogs were taken to a specialized veterinary clinic but could not be resuscitated.
While the cause of death has yet to be confirmed, New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb told ABC Radio Sydney it was likely due to a “technical issue” with special air conditioning units that had been in operation “for a few months.”
“What we do know is that we suspect a technical problem and not human error,” he said, adding that the investigation “will look at whether that’s the problem and why that happened, because that shouldn’t happen at all.” on Friday.
Webb called the discovery a “very sad day” for the canine unit and described Xtra and Soldier as “two valued members of our organization.”
“The thoughts of the entire police family are with them,” he said. “We owe it to PD Xtra and DD Soldier to conduct a thorough investigation.”
PD Xtra, a German Shepherd, was accredited as a general purpose dog in July 2018 and seconded to the Newcastle and Central Coast dog unit.
The deaths of two German Shepherd police dogs are believed to have been caused by a “technical problem” with special air conditioning units inside a car (Xtra pictured)
The bodies of police dog Xtra and development dog Soldier (pictured) were found in a NSW Police vehicle about 12.30pm on Thursday.
DD Soldier, also a German Shepherd, began serving in the canine unit in February 2024 for training and development.
Deputy Commissioner Stephen Hegarty said police would be deeply sorry for the loss of the dogs.
“Our focus is on the wellbeing of all staff involved with the ongoing support services made available to them,” he said.
