An officer identified as Rita of service no. 1395 chokes tennis ball & dies in Kwale.

A police dog died on Friday after choking a tennis ball while in training in Lunga Lunga in Kwale county. A report taken by the police says that constable Amos Langat was with Rita on normal training when the unfortunate incident happened.

Constable Langat took upon himself to rescue Rita but he was unable to save her life as she succumbed, the report file at the local police station says.

While trying to save life of Rita constable Langat sustained injuries on his finger as he tried to retrieve the ball that had stuck in Rita’s throat.

The postmortem that was conducted at Musambweni hospital found said that the ball had blocked the wind pipe and Rita died for lack of breathing.

Rita was a special officer, she once sniffed out 8kg of heroine deputy commissioner Joseph Biwot said. She had also sniffed 3kg of narcotic drugs. She was attached to KRA section.

Lunga Lunga police boss Peter Nzimbi said Rita was a Germany shepherd who was brought at the station last year. She was only 11 years old.