Secret Service dog falls to its death from roof of New Orleans parking deck

[PoliticAverse]

Source: CNN

(CNN) -- A Secret Service dog fell to its death Saturday night while doing a sweep of a multi-story parking deck near a hotel where Vice President Joe Biden was speaking.

The Belgian Malinois fell from the roof of the six-story deck adjacent to The Ritz-Carlton in New Orleans where Biden was speaking at a fundraiser for U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu, reported CNN affiliate WWL.

Secret Service spokesman Max Milien told CNN the death was a "tragic accident."

The agency began its canine program in 1975 to detect explosives. It uses Belgian Malinois because they are small and have short hair -- making it easy for them to work in the heat. They are also very sociable.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/27/us/louisiana-secret-service-dog-death/index.html

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Dailymail story on the incident: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2269079/Secret-Service-dog-falls-roof-dies-protecting-Vice-President-Biden-New-Orleans.html

[hlthe2b]

1. Ohhh...heartbreaking...

[Helen Reddy]

2. Poor pooch.

[Sunlei]

3. had the same thing happen in some dog training classes held in parking garages. tragic!

suggest officers when class training teach their dogs a solid recall (and a solid drop-down instantly) incase the dog goes to jump a wall with a long way down at the other side, is after something in the path of an oncoming car, is attacking an innocent bystander, or doesn't notice the edge of a roof.

a solid recall and/or an instant DOWN- could save your dogs life someday.

[OnyxCollie]

4. I wouldn't call a Malinois "very sociable."

From the AKC Belgian Malinois standard:
http://www.akc.org/breeds/belgian_malinois/index.cfm

Temperament
Correct temperament is essential to the working character of the Belgian Malinois. The breed is confident, exhibiting neither shyness nor aggressiveness in new situations. The dog may be reserved with strangers but is affectionate with his own people. He is naturally protective of his owner's person and property without being overly aggressive. The Belgian Malinois possesses a strong desire to work and is quick and responsive to commands from his owner. Faulty temperament is strongly penalized.

I have four Belgian Groenendaels (a Malinois with a wiry, black coat) and know many people with Belgian Tervurens and Belgian Malinois. They are very wary and alert, not very sociable.

[PuffedMica]

5. Rush Limbaugh headline: "Joe Biden kills Secret Service Dog"

The lead story on FAUX NUZ for a week will be about how the Vice President killed an innocent dog.

[alp227]

13. What about Romney's dog on the roof?

[Why Syzygy]

6. heart hurts

His handler must be devastated.

[glinda]

7. Handler's fault possibly IMHO. This has happened way too often.

Either they train better or hang onto the dog or pay more attention to what is going on. Awful.

[xchrom]

8. No halter and long leash?

Very sad.

[butterflygirl]

9. May he/she rest in peace,

He/she served with honor.

[mike dub]

10. So sad

A friend of a friend of mine is a K-9 sheriff's deputy in Alachua County, Florida. His partner is a Malinois. Reminds me of a small German Shepard with shorter hair. Great and very loyal dogs.

[Beacool]

11. Ooohhh, how sad.

Dogs are great, poor thing.

[Tyrs WolfDaemon]

12. May this dog find his/her way across BriFrost

That they can be with the friends and family that have gone on before and join them in the Wild Hunt.