While on active duty status, the City of Plano provides for the health care of our working canine partners. When a canine has become unsuitable for police patrol service work because of age or physical disability, the canine is retired from active duty. Once a canine is retired, the handler is offered the option to purchase the animal from the city and in doing so assumes the expenses associated with owning a retired service animal. Retired police dogs don’t just suffer from the normal ailments associated with aging but also the serious wear and tear that comes from years of rigorous training and working, including arthritis, hip and knee injuries, torn ligaments, and back and spinal problems. The Hero Fund is dedicated to assisting with these bills. It is a small price to pay for all the hard work they gave and is our way of saying thanks.

In addition to public donations from individuals and corporations, The Hero Fund periodically hosts fundraisers throughout the year such as departmental luncheons, merchandise sales, and public demonstrations. It is with these funds that The Hero Fund is able to ensure the health and comfort of our service canines in their post-service years.

The Plano Police Canine Unit was formed in 1983 to assist Patrol Officers in our community with tracking or trailing of fleeing suspects, tracking or locating lost or missing children, elderly adults and mentally challenged  individuals. Canines are also trained to search areas or buildings for hidden suspects, officer and handler protection, apprehension of fleeing suspects, evidence searching and narcotic detection.

At the current time, the Plano Police Canine Unit consists of three officer handlers and three canines.  The teams are assigned to the Patrol Services Division. Since 1983,  nineteen canines have served in the unit.  See photos of our retirees in the PHOTOS page!