‘HE NEVER LET ME DOWN’ – POLICE DOG HANDLER MOURNS THE DEATH OF IKE

If there was a bad guy to catch, Ike the police dog would catch him, his former handler says.

The retired police dog, who was well-known for sniffing out offenders, died on Monday.

Ike entered the Police Dog Section in 2009 when he was assigned to his handler Senior Constable Andrew “Junior” Douglas. The pair graduated as an operational team in 2010.

During Ike’s time with the police he was a regular on working dog TV show Dog Squad where he and Douglas could be seen catching criminals throughout Wellington.

“If I could have him again I would – he never let me down. If there was a bad guy to catch, he’d catch him,” said Douglas of his dependable partner.

In 2013, Ike was involved in the night-time rescue of a camper who fell from a Makara clifftop and landed on a ledge.

Douglas said Ike showed the true value of a well-trained police dog – where a helicopter with thermal imaging equipment couldn’t find the stranded camper, he was able to locate them. 

Douglas and another handler, Tony Milner, were awarded the Royal Humane Society Bronze Medal following the event. It is thought Ike was rewarded with a tasty bone for his part in the rescue.

Following his retirement from frontline duties in 2016, Ike went to live with Wellington Dog Section boss Senior Sergeant Mark Davidson.

Ike continued to work with the police as the unofficial patriarch of the Wellington Dog Section. His duties included visiting schools and community groups, turning out for open days and taking part in pride parades in Auckland and Wellington.

Douglas said he was sad to see Ike go. He would remember him as a loyal partner who, although not afraid to throw his weight around when offenders got rowdy, had a softer side.

“[Off duty] you could cut him loose at a kindy – he was just like a family pet.”