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Died – 6/12/16
Handler – Cpl. Kaleb McCarrell
Amarillo PD Police dog runs into tree and dies
An Amarillo Police Department dog died after he was injured in a training accident on Sunday morning, police said today. Bruno and his handler, Cpl. Kaleb McCarrell, were working together in a training exercise and the dog was running to retrieve a training aid when it ran into a tree, Sergeant Brent Barbee said today. “They were not at a training facility, the officer was taking advantage of some on-shift training time to work with the dog in a lot in northwest Amarillo,” Barbee said. Later a veterinarian examined the dog and told APD there were external injuries visible to indicate the 85-pound canine’s neck was broken by the impact. “These are high-drive dogs and they have two speeds, on and off,” Barbee said. “The dogs are not just a pet, they’re your partner and these dogs and their handlers spend so much time together that they form a close, personal bond. They end up being fiercely protective of each other.” Barbee said that obviously, Cpl. McCarrell was very upset by Bruno’s death. “Dogs don’t usually get hurt or die in training accidents, when something happens to a dog it’s usually in the line of duty, so this is why it’s so unexpected,” Barbee said. Bruno was a five-year-old Dutch Shepherd who had worked with McCarrell for two years. McCarrell and Bruno took first place in the National Narcotic Detector Dog Association (NNDDA) conference and competition in May 2015 in Paris Landing State Park in northwest Tennessee. Police said law enforcement dogs usually work with their handlers for about seven years, and the animal lives at home with their handler. APD has three patrol/narcotics detection canines, two Belgian Malinois and a Dutch Shepherd in service. They also have a Labrador that is an explosives detection dog. APD said officers from the Canine Unit will arrange for the Bruno’s burial.
