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Died 1/6/20
Handler – Senior Constable Andrew
Wellington police mourn ‘patriarch’ of dog squad
Ike, the patriarch of Wellington Dog Section – albeit retired – died on Monday in his 13th year. Ike had a long and very successful operational career with Senior Constable Andrew aka Junior Douglas, tracking and catching offenders, and featuring in a dramatic night time Makara Beach cliff top search and rescue for a man who had accidentally slipped and fallen while camping out, landing on a ledge. Junior and fellow handler Tony Milner both received a Royal Humane Society Bronze Medal for the rescue, Ike probably got a bone. Together Junior and Ike were third in the 2015 Patrol Dog champs. Ike retired from operational duties several years ago and spent his long and happy retirement with Wellington Dog Section boss Senior Sergeant Mark Davidson. He was a familiar sight accompanying Mark at work, but kept his paws in for special occasions like visiting schools and community groups, attending the emergency services days on the waterfront, police open days and Pride Parades in both Auckland and Wellington. Ike featured in the Wellington Police Dog Section class of 2019 photo by Constable Jane Dunn as well as the beautiful portrait below. In his younger days he also starred on Dog Squad. Ike was bred at Trentham and fostered by another Wellington police officer and family before he was assigned to Junior in 2009 for training. They graduated as operational team in 2010 and worked together until 2016 when Ike retired from operational work. Aside from their operational success together Junior taught Ike several tricks which delighted kids and crowds at open days etc when Ike would sometimes be dressed in super hero outfits or mini rugby players for displays. While operational he suffered from a spinal injury through wear and tear, but made a very successful operational recovery from that surgery. Mark and Junior both say he’ll be missed.
