Original Article: http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/94502144.html



By Kyle Slavin - Saanich News
Published: May 20, 2010 10:00 AM
Updated: May 20, 2010 10:58 AM

He was one of Saanich police's finest. An officer that had been on the job only six months yet already had half a dozen criminal apprehensions under his collar died last week.

Titan, a two-and-a-half-year-old purebred German shepherd died suddenly May 14 at the home of canine handler Const. Jonathan Zielinski.

Titan worked with Zielinski for more than a year before becoming a certified police dog.

"He will be missed by not only his partner and his family but by all the men and women of the Saanich police," Chief Const. Mike Chadwick said.

Titan had been deployed 30 times in his career with Saanich police. He is the first Saanich police dog to die while still on active duty.

The cause of death was determined to be a short gastrointestinal illness known as stomach torsion.

There are currently three other active dogs in the Saanich police canine unit: Panzer, Brock and Taz.