Oregon Police Dog Dies Following Crash

HILLSBORO, Oregon -- A Hillsboro police dog was euthanized early Tuesday after being seriously injured in a car crash, police say.

"Billy" was riding in a patrol car that was hit by another car late Monday at Southeast Tualatin Valley Highway and Century Boulevard, Lt. Henry Reimann said in a news release. The police dog suffered spinal cord damage, Reimann said, and veterinarians put him down about 4 hours later.

His handler, Officer Cory Zaugg, suffered minor injuries.

Reimann said Zaugg and Billy were headed west on Tualatin Valley Highway, coming up on the Century Boulevard intersection, when an eastbound car turned left onto Century and hit the patrol car.

Zaugg and Billy were on duty at the time but weren't headed to an emergency call, said Reimann, a Hillsboro police spokesman. The other driver stayed at the scene and hasn't been cited as of early Tuesday.

Reimann said the patrol car, a Ford Crown Victoria, is outfitted to transport a police dog. There's no harness to keep the dog from moving around in the car, he said.

Reimann said Billy was a 4-year-old Belgian Malinois who was with the department for 2 years.

The crash, which happened about 10:40 p.m., remains under investigation.

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