(WWJ) The Hazel Park Police force did not see it coming: the heartbreaking death of their beloved police dog, K-9 Lando.
“It is with great sorrow that we report the loss of our wonderful Police K-9 Lando,” the Department posted on Facebook.
The Facebook post said he passed away on Friday after vets discovered he had cancer. He had been vomiting and went in for an ultrasound, revealing a mass. During surgery, vets found “cancer had overtaken his body.”
Then came the painful decision to let him go: “He was not woken from surgery,” the department said.
The loss, while felt by the entire force, is especially hard on his handler, Officer Mike Kasdorf.
“His bond with with Lando was something that I have not experienced before. Lando was Mike’s closest partner, best friend and family for the past five years,” the post read.
Lando and Kasdorf won first place in a national contest in 2019 held by non-profit, Vested Interest In K-9 Inc. Communities voted online daily for 30 K-9 units, and the votes piled up for Lando and Kasdorf. The grand prize was a new vehicle for the department.
Lando’s face even ended up on a billboard for a period of time.
One of Lando’s biggest accomplishments was helping to bring home a missing two-year-old-boy in River Rouge. WXYZ reports Lando was able to track his scent to a neighbor’s garage, where the little one got locked in after the homeowner put away a lawn mower. Lando also helped apprehend a number of felons.
The Dutch Shepherd was six years old. He would have been seven in August.
In his final days, Lando never allowed the team to see how sick he was: “He was a tough dedicated member of this department who hid his sickness.”
He served the department until his last moments.
“Just yesterday Lando was in training and performed perfectly!”
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See Hazel Park Police Department's full statement below:
"It is with great sadness that we report the loss of our Police K-9 Lando.
K-9 Lando started with the Hazel Park Police Department in July of 2015. Lando was selected by his Handler, Officer Michael Kasdorf, to join the department K-9 Unit.
Officer Kasdorf and Lando trained together at the Vohne Liche Kennels. K-9 Lando provided law enforcement services that included Handler Protection, Narcotics Detection, Tracking, Building & Area Search and Obedience. Lando was an ambassador for the Hazel Park Police Department, building bonds with the community he served and the officers he worked with. K-9 Lando achieved many accomplishments in his career that included locating lost children and apprehending fleeing felons. K-9 Lando along with his handler had just received a new ChevroletTahoe that they won though a program sponsored by Vested Interest In K9’s (VIK9S.org).
K-9 Lando experienced a sickness and was sent to Michigan State University for an ultrasound. A mass was detected and surgery was performed to remove the mass only to find cancer had over taken his body. Successful treatment and recovery were not possible and Lando was not awaken from his surgery. The Police Department and City share in the sorrow with Officer Kasdorf in the loss of his partner and faithful companion."