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Died – 8/26/24
Idaho Falls police dog dies, heart tumor found
The Idaho Falls Police Department announced that Diezel, a 2-year-old Dutch Shepherd police dog, unexpectedly died Monday. A necropsy found a large tumor on the dog’s heart, according to a Facebook post from the department.“We are really disappointed to lose Diezel,” said Jessica Clements, public information officer for the department, during a phone interview. “He was a very promising dog. He was very personable and great with officers.”The post stated Diezel and his handler played together earlier the same day, and Diezel seemed in good health. But he was found dead at his home later by his handler. The dog had been with the department for about a year and was working to be certified as a narcotics detection and patrol work K9. Clements said police dogs are a big commitment for the department. They take time and money to train, so the department now must weigh its options as it loses a significant asset. Clements said the department now has nine dogs in various roles. Seven dogs do field work. Two are facility dogs that provide mental and emotional support for officers and community members. Clements said the relationships between police dogs and handlers aren’t the same as pets and owners. But the bonds are still tight, so she imagines how the handler would be devastated. She said when she reached out to the handler for photos, he asked that all posts focus on Diezel. “Thank you for your good work, Diezel,” a commenter on Facebook stated. “You’re a good boy.”
