For the second time in 24 hours, a police dog has been killed in the line of duty in Metro Vancouver.
Mounties in Maple Ridge are mourning the loss of service dog "Bear," who died Tuesday night after being hit by a car while chasing a burglary suspect.
Bear and his handler were investigating a home invasion in the 22000-block of Lougheed Highway when three suspects began fleeing the scene.
Bear gave chase, but was struck by a westbound vehicle while crossing the highway. He died at the scene.
"We are all saddened with the tragic loss of one of our police service dogs," Cpl. Alanna Dunlop said in a statement. "They all add so much to the public's safety… We have lost one of our own, and we owe this dedicated police dog our deepest respect, and gratitude."
The handler is distraught, Dunlop added, but is getting support.
Another officer continued to chase the suspect on foot, and arrested him a short distance from the scene.
The 17-year-old suspect is in Ridge Meadows RCMP custody while the other two suspects remain at large.
Mounties believe drugs were a motivating factor in the burglary.
Early Tuesday morning, police dog "Bo" was killed in a car crash while en route to a theft-in-progress in Richmond, B.C.
A police SUV collided with a civilian vehicle at around 1:30 a.m. on Westminster Highway before knocking down a hydro pole.
Neither the police dog handler nor the civilian driver was seriously hurt.
