Former K-9 service dog dies at 15, spent last days visiting S'pore beaches in stroller

RIP Katja.

Ashley Tan | September 04, 2020, 04:29 PM

A former K-9 service dog in Singapore, named Katja, has passed away.

According to a post on Sep. 3 by private dog shelter and welfare group Gentle Paws, Katja had crossed the rainbow bridge on the same morning.

Retired at 10 years old

Katja first joined the shelter in 2015, after retiring at 10 years old as a General Purpose service dog in the K-9 unit.

A Belgian Malinois, Katja was described as agile and intelligent, and was super "manja (affectionate)" as well.

"When you enter her kennel, she greets you excitedly and would poke her snout under your palm, creating a delusional pat for herself. She will follow you very closely in a bid to play a game of fetch."

Despite her relatively senior age, Katja was a "young soul trapped in an old body".

Photo from Gentle Paws / FB

Photo from Gentle Paws / FB

Finally adopted after a year in the shelter

Katja was eventually adopted in late 2016 after a mismatch with her previous owners, where she was sent back to the shelter after spending a few months with them.

There, she finally managed to experience the blissful house pet life.

Here she is all happy with her new owners.

Photo from Gentle Paws / FB

Photo from Gentle Paws / FB

Although it took a while for Katja to find her forever home, she lived a fulfilling life showered with love, where her owners fully understood the needs of her breed and "kept her mentally well-stimulated and taken care of".

Passed away peacefully

Unfortunately, Katja's health started deteriorating due to old age, and she was unable to walk in her last days.

To ensure she lived out the last of her days to the fullest, her owners even brought her out to the beach in a stroller to let her enjoy the fresh air and sea breeze.

Photo from Gentle Paws / FB

Katja passed away peacefully and painlessly in her sleep.

Gentle Paws shared that she did not suffer from any medical conditions and died due to old age.

Photo from Gentle Paws / FB

In their post, the shelter thanked Katja for her service and energetic personality, saying that they would always remember her as an "old lady" who loved pats and play.

They said:

"She helped us save lives, protect us and now its her turn to rest."

Photo from Gentle Paws / FB

You can read the full post by Gentle Paws here.

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Top photo from Gentle Paws / FB