Border patrol dog dies tracking immigrants

A US Border Patrol dog, referred to as K-9s, has died from complications due to extreme heat while searching for undocumented immigrants in distress. The animal and his human partner were at a ranch in Falfurrias, a ranching city in a remote area situated around 80 miles to the north of the border between Mexico and Texas.

Agents were looking for a group of undocumented immigrants in need of assistance on Monday when the dog, known as K-9 Lazer, began showing signs of heat exhaustion, according to US Border Patrol. His handler attempted to cool the animal down and quickly took him to a veterinarian clinic but efforts to save the dog proved fruitless and Lazer died from complications related to extreme heat. Lazer had helped to apprehend 93 undocumented immigrants in his time with US Border Patrol, the agency says.

There is an immigration checkpoint belonging to US Border Patrol close to the city of Falfurrias, and though the area is some distance away from the Texas border, it continues to witness large numbers of human and drug smugglers operating in the vicinity. Human smugglers have a tendency to force undocumented immigrants to walk in the area’s harsh brush terrain to try to avoid the checkpoint, and with temperatures going over 100 degrees in the summer, serious health dangers are faced by them and the human and canine agents that try to find them.

Manuel Padilla, the Border Patrol RGV Sector Chief, says Lazer was a great asset to the team and his passing a great loss to the sector.