A dog handler with the Regina Police Service (RPS) Canine Unit, is mourning the loss of Luka the dog, who was the force’s first explosive detection dog.
“It was a significant loss for the Regina Police Service,” said RPS Const. Neil Beitel. “Very importantly, (he) was a member of the team here but as well as a family member at home.”
Luka was a four-year-old German shepard who was purchased in 2019. He was trained and prepped for the 2020 Grey Cup which did not happen due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but was an incredible asset for the Grey Cup in 2022.
RPS said Luka was a great value to the Service as well as the explosives disposal team and general patrol. He was a single-purpose detection dog which allowed his handler Const. Beitel to take him to community events.
While it took three months to train Luka, he and Beitel engaged in ongoing maintenance training every day.
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“We would roll around on shift together, so he was always in the truck … I did more learning from him than he did from me,” said Beitel. “He (was) with my daughter (at home) … he was a big part of my family and a big part of my life.”
Beitel said Luka died as a result of complications of an auto-immune disease. Days before his passing, the officer noticed an imbalance in his partner.
Luka was taken to a local veterinarian for care before he was transferred to Calgary for more testing.
Sadly, Luka didn’t accompany Beitel on the drive home. He died on Jan. 19, 2023.
“When you have an empty dog dish and an empty kennel, it affects you,” Beitel said. “They said grown men don’t cry and that’s an absolute lie.”
Beitel and the RPS team will cherish the memory of Luka and the impacts he made in the community and at home.
In honor of Luka, the RPS is selling K-9 calendars and donations can be made to the SPCA Stryker K-9 Care Fund.
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