‘They fell in love with his extra folds’: Beloved K-9 bloodhound dies unexpectedly

SALT LAKE CITY (Gray News) – A beloved K-9 bloodhound with the Salt Lake Police Department died unexpectedly Sunday from an unknown medical condition.

Bruce joined the Salt Lake Police Department when he was just 8 weeks old.

He successfully passed all his training and certifications and achieved his first and second capture, simultaneously, with his police handler on July 1, 2021, according to the police department.

“This is devastating to K9 Bruce’s partner, his family, the K-9 squad, and our entire department,” Chief Mike Brown said in a press release. “Our police canines are members of our police family and our community. K-9 Bruce represented the epitome of what we expect in a police canine. His temperament was always courageous when on the job yet gentle enough to be loved by everyone he met, including children.”

Bruce and his handler had been deployed on countless calls since his first capture and had successfully found 31 people over his career.

“K-9 Bruce achieved so much, and we are in debt to his service and legacy,” Brown added. “I will remember K-9 Bruce for his personality, persistence, and the way he protected our city.”

Brown said everyone loved Bruce’s playful personality and “fell in love with his extra folds of soft skin.”

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