Memorial for Texas police dog planned, cop has “incredible” bond with fallen dog

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Justin Gower, a Cedar Park dog handler, lost his dog Rogue in the line of duty in 2021.

He said Rogue suffered from a rare disease that goes undetected until acute symptoms appear, by which time it is usually too late. Rogue died during a training exercise.

“We spend more time with our dogs than with our families, so the bond we have is incredible,” he said.

Currently, various groups are trying to create a K9 memorial for all police dogs who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

It would be located on the Capitol grounds near the Texas Peace Officers Memorial.

“All of this has to be approved by the State Preservation Board and has to be done in phases,” said Kevin Lawrence, executive director of the Texas Municipal Police Association, one of the groups working on building the memorial.

Below you will find depictions of the statues.

A meeting with the State Preservation Board is scheduled for Wednesday to move that project forward. Lawrence said it is still in the early stages and will likely take a few more years to come to fruition.

The total cost of the project has not yet been determined. The money will be raised through donations.