Service Record
End of Watch
January 1, 1985
Tour of Duty
6 years
Gender
Male
K9 Profile
Breed
German Shepherd
Cause
Exposure to toxins
Agency
Department
Chicago Police Department
Location
Chicago, IL
Incident
K9 Duke died after ingesting a piece of hot dog meat that had been dipped in a banned rodent poison known as 1080.
He and his handler were searching a grocery store for a burglary suspect when Duke ingested the meat. The exterminator who placed the poison was fined $250 and ordered to stop using the poison. The man disregarded the court order and continued using the substance. On February 9th, 1986, K9 Max II also ingested the same substance that the same man had placed out in a different grocery store.
The man was charged with criminal contempt of court following K9 Max's death.
The exact date of the incident in which K9 Duke died is not known.