editorial comment Another victim of the war on drugs! It does remind paraphernalia of the song "Dope Dog" by the other Clinton (the singer, not the sax player...)

LONDON (Reuters) - A police sniffer dog died of a suspected overdose while out hunting for drugs, British police said on Monday.

Todd, a 7-year-old Springer spaniel, had been looking for drugs in a field and car in Preston, northern England, when his handler noticed he was looking unwell. He was taken to a vet and then rushed to an animal intensive care unit at Liverpool University, displaying symptoms of ingesting amphetamines, a Lancashire police spokeswoman said.

He died shortly afterwards.

The death was said to have devastated Todd's handler, Police Constable Roger Moore, his wife and two young children.

"He (Todd) lived with them and they would all go for walks with him -- he was their dog," Sergeant Peter Crane of Preston's dog unit told the Daily Mirror.

"He's going to be very difficult to replace, but police work is dangerous and unfortunately Todd has become a casualty."


Police said a post mortem on Todd was being carried out.

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