Garden City police announce death of K9 Kaizen

GARDEN CITY, Kan. (KWCH) – The Garden City Police Department announced the death of a K9 on Monday.

Kaizen was born on April 27, 2020 and served with the Garden City Police Department from July 2021 until his death on Monday.

GCPD said that Kaizen recently showed signs of illness and was taken to the veterinarian, where they found an area of concern. He was then taken to the Kansas State Veterinary Hospital in Manhattan for specialized care.

Kaizen was diagnosed with an aggressive terminal illness. To prevent further suffering, the decision was made to humanely euthanize him.

As a dual-purpose dog trained for patrol deployments and narcotics detection, GCPD said that his work led to multiple narcotics seizures and apprehensions of felony suspects. He is said to have been an invaluable member of the Patrol Division.

Kaizen spent his last day with his partner, K9 Officer Julian Garcia, and his former handler, Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Isaac Gonzalez.