FEMA dog dies after training accident on Friday

Posted to: Crime News Virginia Beach
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By Jen McCaffery
The Virginian-Pilot
© June 8, 2010

VIRGINIA BEACH

A FEMA Virginia Task Force dog who assisted in rescue efforts in Haiti and New Orleans died after a training accident in Virginia Beach Friday.

Lieutenant ‘Win” Winters was injured during K-9 component team training, according to a city news release.

The dog was searching through a rubble pile for a live victim when a piece of concrete reinforcing wire punctured his chest, according to the release.

The injury caused internal bleeding, but the dog still located the victim in the rubble, according to the release. The dog was taken to Bay-Beach Veterinary Hospital, where he died shortly after.

Win had lived in Albemarle County and joined Virginia Task Force 2 in 2005.

The dog was deployed five times, including to Haiti and after Hurricane Katrina, according to the release. He was buried on a family farm in Charlottesville.

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