Caesar’s back on the beat
Police dog Caesar has a few scars to show for his encounter with an alleged burglar on December 22, but has been declared fit to return to work. He and handler Constable Josh Van Der Kwaak, who suffered minor injuries in the same incident, were rostered on for duty yesterday.
The 21-month-old dog suffered two skull fractures in the course of a struggle with a man who had allegedly broken into a a homer at Parua Bay, near Whanga¯rei.
One of the blows struck him in an eye socket, but a CT scan showed no sign of permanent damage to the eye.
Dog and handler were put through their paces last week, and both were cleared to return to work, Senior Sergeant Bruce McLeod saying Caesar had undergone rigorous testing, including “bite work.”
“We were making sure the dog was back at 100 per cent, and everything seems fine. The dog has good strong character and is showing no adverse effects,” he said.