EDINBURGH, Ind. (WISH) — The sudden death of a police dog leaves her department both saddened and shorthanded.

Kira was a member of the Edinburgh Police Department for less than two years. The department revealed the news of her death in a Sunday Facebook post, saying she and her handler were doing monthly training exercises last week when the dog fell ill. Veterinarians say she had signs of an infection and pneumonia.

“We got a call yesterday that she took a turn for the worse,” Edinburgh Police Chief Doyne Little tells WISH-TV. He says a group from the department rushed to the animal hospital to see Kira. “Her handler, Officer Ryan Coy, laid down with her, and she died in his arms. It’s like she was waiting for us all.”

For a brief time, Edinburgh had two dogs in its K9 team. Both are now gone.

Skye joined the force shortly before Kira in 2022. Soon after hitting the streets, the department started sharing news of busts by Skye, including one in January of 2023 that prompted a picture of Skye next to 6 pounds of marijuana, 11 grams of meth, and thousands of dollars in cash.

But by the end of August, Skye was off the force. Police leaders say she suffered a shoulder injury during training and had to retire.

Kira served as the lone dog in the department until her death over the weekend. Successes for Kira included an October 2022 bust of cocaine, methamphetamine, syringes, and more.

Little says Kira and Skye helped build a K9 program that he definitely wants to continue. Both dogs had gotten donations of body armor.

They also helped build community support to the point that Skye’s retirement led to almost immediate approval from town leaders for another dog. “Exta” is set to fully join the force later this year.

Little says it’s too soon to know exactly how he’ll handle the loss of Kira. He says it costs $14,000 to $16,000 to replace a trained dog, plus ongoing expenses for feeding, care, and continuing training.

“It’s so fresh. I want to keep this going. What she did not just as a partner but as a calming effect on high-stress situations, it’s tremendous,” he says. “It’s just a shock. These dogs are more than a dog. You spend more time with your four-legged partner than you do with your family.”