BLAKE, an English Springer Spaniel hailed as one of the heroes in the Batang Kali landslide tragedy last year, has been euthanised.

A member of the Fire and Rescue Department’s K9 Tracker Dog Unit, the canine lost its battle with lymphoma cancer.

In a statement yesterday, the Local Government Development Ministry said the canine was put to sleep at 4.38pm on Monday.

“Blake’s loss will definitely be felt by the department, and his six-year service with the unit will always be valued and remembered. Farewell, Blake,” the statement said.

According to the statement, Blake was diagnosed with stage 4 lymphoma cancer on August 15 and was admitted to the pet dog ward at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia on September 14 when it was found to be lethargic and had lost his appetite.

The department said the decision to put Blake to sleep was made after a discussion with veterinary specialist Dr Nur Alimah Rahman. They determined that his condition was fast deteriorating and that there was no hope of recovery, with the dog also in pain.

“While hospitalised, Blake failed to respond to the medicine and treatment given by the veterinarian. The lymphoma cancer detected also became aggressive and had spread throughout the body,” the statement said.

Blake came from the United Kingdom and was acquired by department in 2017.

“Blake has contributed a lot to the success of the search operations carried out throughout the country, including locating drowning victims at Batu 13, Lorong 16, Kampung Kenangan, Selangor; the search and rescue operation at the water surge tragedy at Titi Hayun, near Yan, Kedah; and the operation to locate flood victims in Kampung Telemong, Karak in Pahang,” said the statement. – Bernama, September 20, 2023.