Hero NZ police dog notorious for hunting ‘baddest of criminals’ put down after cancer battle

Police dog Oden was known for hunting down the "baddest of criminals". Photo / NZ Police

A hero police dog who was known for hunting and catching the “baddest of criminals” has been put down after a short battle with cancer.

Oden, 5, had been part of Tāmaki Makaurau police dog section for a number of years, gaining a reputation for being one of the best patrol dogs in the country.

The energetic dog was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer this year and after a very short fight had to be put down last month.

The pup was a beloved team-mate of Constable Casey, who fostered him when he was just 10 weeks old.

Casey and Oden were inseparable from that moment on and soon graduated as a member of the dog team in December 2019.

After being Casey’s first-ever police dog and the pair went through intense training together, Oden went on to qualify as both an Armed Offender Squad and Special Tactics Group dog, becoming one of the most qualified and experienced dogs in the country.

“We were deployed throughout the North Island but primarily Auckland and Northland, and he was responsible for catching a lot of offenders,” says Constable Casey.

Known for being one of the best trackers, he once located three wanted offenders after tracking them for five hours through Mangatāwhiri bush.

"He could go from tracking and apprehending the baddest of criminals to rolling around on the grass with the kids from next door." Photo / NZ Police

But despite his fierce ability to hunt down offenders, he was a favourite with children where his social skills would flourish during school and community events.

“He could go from tracking and apprehending the baddest of criminals to rolling around on the grass with the kids from next door. He absolutely loved going for big walks in the forest and swims in the ocean.”

His last few weeks were spent at home with Constable Casey and his family where he was given all the treats and affection a dog could ever dream of.

“He was an amazing police dog and a much loved member of the family.”