The Maryland Natural Resources Police mourned the passing last Wednesday of K-9 Blu, assigned to Western Maryland in 2007. The black Labrador retriever was 10 years, three months old and was suffering from lymphoma.
“Blu and his handler, Officer Curt Dieterle, were the epitome of what it takes to be a successful K-9 team,” said Sgt. Lisa Nyland, the unit leader. “They were motivated, competent, professional and accessible to not only NRP but to other agencies and the public as well. Blu’s passing leaves a huge void in our K-9 unit that will be very hard to fill.”
Barrel-chested with a friendly smile that delighted children, Blu was trained for three missions ─ track, search for an item, such as a gun, and detect wildlife ─ tasks the dog performed with gusto.
