10-week-old Pittsburgh police bloodhound unexpectedly dies

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh police K-9 puppy Loki passed away suddenly over the weekend.

The 10-week-old puppy was in his first week of training.

Police said the puppy was playing with his trainer when he suddenly collapsed.

His trainer rushed him to a veterinary emergency center where the vets discovered he was suffering from aspiration pneumonia.

"They said it's very common for the puppy to just drop out. There's no symptoms prior to it and he had no symptoms," said Pittsburgh police K-9 unit Sgt. Sean Duffy.

They put him on oxygen and antibiotics, but LOKI passed away.

The 10-week-old bloodhound was training to be a human-being locator  a part of a unit that could trail, track and find at-risk missing persons, including kids with autism and seniors with Alzheimers.

Since Loki's passing, the department has been overwhelmed by the amount of support from people all over the country  looking to help.

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"We are going to continue the bloodhound program with the city of Pittsburgh. We've had a tremendous outpouring of people volunteering to donate us puppies all over the country," Duffy said.

Loki already had a burial service and his ashes are with his handler.

Duffy said any donations can go to the Pittsburgh Foundation Rocko Fund.

Cox Media Group