Just Days before he retires and goes home, wonderful police dog Maverick left our world, leaving those closest to him in tears
The Hamilton Police Service is mourning the loss of one of its most loved members, Maverick, the eight-years-old Service dog who, just days before he was set to retire at the home of his handler, has died from unexpected medical complications.
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Many expressions of condolences coming in. Thank you. Our dogs live with our handlers so there becomes a deep bond pic.twitter.com/sJrolNQYvM
— Hamilton Police K-9 (@HPSCanine) September 6, 2016
Maverick had been working with Const.Johny Sabatini for seven years, the dog was brought to the service from the Netherlands back in 2008.
Const.Steve Welton says that Johnny and Maverick became companions right from the start, and that the tragedy is having an impact on all of them. Johnny had been preparing to welcome the dog home after he retires this week.
Welton added:
“They literally spent time from the start of every day together and when Johnny put on his uniform or started his truck the dog’s tail started wagging and he knew it was time to go to work,”
Unfortunately, the dog passed away from an unspecified life-threatening health condition on Friday.
The pair worked on a wide variety of cases together, including homicide investigations, missing persons, bank robberies, firearm, and currency detection, they have also worked with tactical units in dangerous operations.
Welton added:
“If the suspect needed to be apprehended and they had fled from the scene, involving weapons or whether there were serious injuries, we would use the dog in that way, If Johnny told Maverick to watch, the dog would watch. And I tell you, the suspects or individuals who were in situations where the dog was watching them — they were not moving.”
While not on duty, the two would often visit young patients at the McMaster Children’s Hospital and the Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children together.
Welton added:
“Johnny is probably one of the most passionate people when it comes to not only the position in the K9 unit but also towards the dogs — a really caring person. Johnny wears his heart on his sleeve and I know that he’s certainly missing his friend.”
According to Welton, the Hamilton Police K9 unit is a very tight group of people, he also added that the death of Maverick was not just a loss for the Hamilton K9 police unit, but for the entire policing community.
He added:
“It’s like losing one of our own members when you lose a dog like this because they become really your friend and your companion. Many, many people, thousands of people … are reaching out to Johnny and our K9 unit on Twitter and just basically sharing their thoughts and condolences for the loss.”
A moment of recognition will be held for Maverick by the Police, but there have been no confirmation about a public service. They also encourage those who have photos and/or fond memories of Maverick to share them through Social media or pass on condolences to Sabitini through mail at compliments@hamiltonpolice.on.ca.
Welton added that they were overwhelmed by the response, and that the show of support was beyond expectations.
#PSDMaverick will be missed @HamiltonPolice and by the #HamOnt community https://t.co/BPfh1XEabk pic.twitter.com/SFXTgloIft
— Hamilton Police K-9 (@HPSCanine) September 6, 2016
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Source: Globalnews
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