Diesel, the British police dog who pined so much when his former handler emigrated to New Zealand that he lost his job, may yet see his offspring working for the police.
Sergeant John Gallagher, of Wellington, paid $5832 to bring Diesel out from Britain.
Diesel, a 4-year-old german
shepherd, is now his family's pet, but is still serving law enforcement, in a manner of speaking.
He has been standing at stud in New Zealand to bitches whose genetic lines have produced good police dogs.
"In the near future there will be some Diesel pups around," said Mr Gallagher.
"We're hoping his offspring will be suitable for police work - Diesel's line is very popular in Europe."
New Zealand police have brought a bitch from Holland and are considering another from Canada to introduce the right mix to their breeding lines for police dogs.
When Mr Gallagher, 42, moved to New Zealand two years ago to train police dogs and their handlers at Trentham, British police kept Diesel as he was doing a good job in East Lancashire.
Not long before the family emigrated, Diesel was runner-up in the UK's National Young Dog competition.
But Mr Gallagher said that after his departure Diesel's performance declined, partly because he was pining, and he lost his police job.
"I got him when he was 7 weeks old and he grew up in our family - he is a one-man dog," he said.
"It cost more to get him here than a human," he said.
But even after two years, the dog recognised him, his wife, Angela, and son Finn, now 6.
"He comes to work with me and we go out for a run every lunchtime.
"It's just great to have him with me again."
- NZPA
