This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
St. George police on Thursday were mourning the death of "Rossko," a 5-year-old German Shepherd K-9 officer.
Rossko, partnered with Officer Joe Watson since December 2014, died Wednesday night due to complications from surgery. The dog suffered from gastric dilation volvulus, also known as "bloat," a condition in which a dog's stomach twists, cutting off blood flow to internal organs.
Watson reported that Rossko underwent two operations in an attempt to save his life, but the damage had progressed too far.
"Even though the condition was recognized and treated quickly, his stomach was just too far gone," Watson wrote.
Rossko was credited with 44 arrests, as well as discovery and seizure of significant amounts of illegal drugs in the course of nearly 100 deployments.
"He was a fantastic partner," Watson added. "I will especially miss seeing everybody's shocked faces when he used to crawl out from under my desk and surprise everyone. ... He loved people and was never one to pass up a pat on the back or a scratch behind his ears."
Twitter: @remims