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Handler – Sergeant Dave Raymond
Police farewell loyal service dog, Axel, after short cancer battle
It is with the heaviest of hearts that Queensland Police Service has this week farewelled retired Police Dog (PD) ‘Axel’. After a short battle with cancer, Sergeant Dave Raymond and the Raymond family had to say their goodbyes to their beloved family member.PD Axel was a well known member of the Far North community, commencing his career in Cairns after graduating in 2015 and retiring November 2022. Partnered with Officer in Charge and 25-year veteran within the Cairns Dog Squad, PD Axel was the fourth police dog for handler Sergeant Dave Raymond.Axel’s time within the ’Paw Enforcement’ saw him locate countless offenders and missing people throughout his career. No stranger to posing for a photo or video camera, PD Axel became a favorite amongst the community and the state with his Halloween dress up photos, which even continued after his retirement last year.Still coming to terms with the passing of PD Axel, Sergeant Raymond said the loss of your best mate never gets any easier.“I will terribly miss having him at home. He was especially close to my children and was always sneaking into the house to steal the cat food,” said Sergeant Raymond.“I will especially miss his distinctive howl. He would belt that out whenever he heard a siren, even if it was on the television.” When asked to recall memorable jobs with Axel, Sergeant Raymond said the list was long.“We tracked into a cane paddock where we came face to face with an armed man. It only took one bark from Axel, and he instantly dropped the knife,” he said.“On another occasion we went to a job where a lady had her passport, cash and car stolen just hours before she was due to catch a plane to the United Kingdom. Axel and I were quick on the job, and he managed to track and locate the offenders. The best part was being able to return the property to the lady so she could continue with her trip.”
