The Moose Jaw Police Service has announced that its first accredited facilities/trauma dog, Kane, has died at age 10, nearly two years after he walked into retirement with his handler.
The agency announced the yellow Labrador retriever’s death on its Facebook page on July 14.
According to the post, Kane was born on Aug. 31, 2012, and spent his first two-and-a-half years in training with the Pacific Assistance Dogs Society (PADS) in British Columbia. In 2015, Kane started his career with the police service and was partnered with handler Donna Blondeau, the long-time co-ordinator of the Victim Services Unit.
Kane worked with Blondeau as the first accredited facility dog in Saskatchewan and helped build the program’s foundation in the province. They spent six years supporting victims of crime in the community and surrounding area.
Blondeau — who worked for the police service for 33 years, including 27 years as Victim Services co-ordinator — estimated that Kane helped more than 1,000 families, adults and children since he arrived in 2015.
To help the community better understand Kane’s role, Blondeau wrote a book in 2020 called “Kane’s Tale.” The book — distributed for free to roughly 2,500 children in both school divisions — was designed to put kids at ease if they visited the police station and remind families that the canine was available if necessary.
“I’m proud to say I think we’ve surpassed any expectations I had when I first got him,” Blondeau said in 2021. “He can help break the ice and make things a little easier for people going through a difficult time … . For a lot of people, touching him and hugging him and petting him and holding his leash makes all the difference.”
The duo retired on Aug. 31, 2021, to a community north of Moose Jaw to be closer to her family.
“Kane was known for his calm demeanour and caring personality. Kane had a willingness to engage and comfort those around him and provide support and assistance to many people in our community,” the police said on Facebook.
“Kane also bonded with our members and would regularly make his rounds of the MJPS, helping us through some tough days. Kane, thank you for your service … you will be missed.”
The police did not provide a cause of death for Kane.
