Westshore RCMP honours veteran police dog after her passing

There are some heavy hearts in the West Shore today.

West Shore RCMP are honouring Halla, a police dog that passed in July following a sudden illness.

Halla was 10 years old and dedicated seven years of service to communities in Kamloops and later the West Shore, responding to hundreds of calls during her tenure alongside her handler, Corporal Dave Lewis.

Halla worked with the RCMP Emergency Response Team and was trained in tracking, evidence searches and explosive detection. She was especially skilled at locating missing persons.

Police say that the call that exemplifies her career best was one that involved a missing toddler that wandered away from a car during a routine traffic stop.

She and Lewis began tracking through dense forest, located the child and safely reunited them with their family.

After years of service on the front line, Halla and Corporal Lewis transitioned to the RCMP National Reintegration Program in 2023, helping RCMP employees return to work after traumatic incidents and providing help during their recovery.

After her career and into her retirement, Halla required ongoing medical care, which was provided by Ned’s Wish, a charity dedicated to supporting retired law enforcement and Canadian Armed Forces K-9s to improve their quality of life.

“With profound gratitude for her years of faithful service to the West Shore community and beyond, we honour Halla’s legacy and the countless lives she touched,” a Westshore RCMP news release stated.

Police say the German shepherd will be remembered for her courage, dedication and ability to lighten up any room that she entered.