Danny, the police service dog whose partner was killed in last week鈥檚 Moncton shooting spree, will be staying in service with the RCMP.
"It wouldn't be fair to Danny to retire him, as he loved his work as much as Dave did," said Rachel Ross, wife of the late Const. Dave Ross, in an RCMP statement Wednesday. "Any time Danny barked at home, it would be to get Dave to open the truck door so they could go to work.鈥�
Danny first began working with Const. Ross in December 2012, graduating from the Police Dog Service Training Centre in August 2013.
Danny had been in service less than a year when the 32-year-old Mountie was killed in the line of duty last Wednesday in the Moncton shooting that took the lives of three RCMP officers.
New Brunswick RCMP said they鈥檝e received a high number of inquiries about the future of the police dog, who was photographed Tuesday sniffing Const. Ross鈥檚 hat and whining beside the casket during a regimental funeral service.
Spokesperson Const. Jullie Rogers-Marsh said the RCMP is taking care of Danny. They of the dog playing in a stream, titled 鈥淒anny鈥檚 doing well.鈥�
鈥淚 can assure you that the RCMP is going to continue to look after him, and hopefully we鈥檒l get him partnered up with a dog handler who is in need with a police dog,鈥� said Rogers-Marsh.
Dog trainer Donald Burke, who has worked with municipal police dogs for more than 30 years, said Danny should be able to adjust to a new a partner.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a certain mourning period also for the dog where he鈥檚 kind of lost,鈥� said Burke. 鈥淗e鈥檚 looking for the handler and the handler鈥檚 not there.鈥�
鈥淏ut dogs are different than people. They move forward very quickly.鈥�
Burke said being paired up with a new officer would be the best way for the dog to heal. He also said Danny鈥檚 experience as a police dog would benefit the public, a sentiment the RCMP agrees with.
鈥淒anny's bond with Dave will always be there,鈥� the RCMP said in their statement. 鈥淚f not for Dave recognizing Danny's skills, he would never have had the opportunity to serve Canadians, something he will continue to do with pride and dedication.鈥�
With files from CTV Atlantic
