An Amarillo, Texas police dog died after he was injured during training over the weekend.
K-9 Bruno and his handler, Cpl. Kaleb McCarrell, were working together Sunday morning when the dog ran to retrieve a training aid and struck a tree, according to The Globe-News.
Sgt. Brent Barbee told the newspaper Monday that the officer was taking advantage of some on-shift training time to work with the dog.
A veterinarian examined the dog and found there were external injuries visible to indicate the K-9's neck was broken by the impact.
Barbee said that McCarrell was very upset by Bruno's death.
"The dogs are not just a pet, they're your partner and these dogs and their handlers spend so much time together that they form a close, personal bond," he said. "They end up being fiercely protective of each other."
Bruno was a five-year-old Dutch Shepherd who had worked with McCarrell for two years. The pair took first place in the National Narcotic Detector Dog Association (NNDDA) conference and competition in May 2015 in Paris Landing State Park in northwest Tennessee.
Officials said that officers from the Canine Unit will arrange for Bruno's burial.
