Former Winnipeg police dog Nero dies

Winnipeg police say a recently retired police dog has died.

Police service dog Nero died Tuesday, according to a release from police Wednesday.

Nero retired from service March 11.

Police say Nero was paired with Sgt. Shawn Lowry and had been certified in explosive detection since May 2017.

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Nero was also certified with the National Odour Recognition Testing program through the U.S. Department of Justice.

Last January Winnipeg police announced plans to build a permanent memorial garden to honour the service’s working dogs at the canine unit’s offices on Durand Road.

At the time they said the garden will commemorate dogs who have been helping the service since 1971.

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More information about the project is available on the city’s website.

— with files from Sam Thompson