Beloved Police Dog Dies, Leaving 'A Huge Hole In Our Hearts'

REDONDO BEACH, CA — After five years of service as Redondo Beach Police Department's first-ever facility dog, Meredith the Labrador Retriever died on Valentine's Day after battling an aggressive form of cancer for three months.

Meredith's owner Sharon Rose said during her time working with Meredith, she saw what an impact doggy kisses could make in comforting those who desperately needed them. Rose said having Meredith in her life made her a better person.

"There is a huge hole in our hearts by her passing," Rose said. "She was loved by thousands and helped so many in her 5 years of service. We assisted Dozens of police agencies and spread dog hair in schools throughout Redondo Beach, parts of Torrance and Manhattan Beach."

It all started, Rose said, about three months ago when she noticed a sore on Meredith's skin that looked like a puncture. A veterinarian removed the sore and tested it, finding it to be a very aggressive mast cell.

"My stomach hit the floor when the doctor told me on the telephone. That was the furthest thing from my mind," Rose said.

Within a month it traveled to her lymph nodes and the veterinarian informed Rose that the cancer was terminal. Though they tried multiple medications to try and stop the disease, it was too aggressive and Rose said Meredith let her know when it was time for her to go.

Before her death, Meredith's day-to-day was packed with helping others in hard situations, Rose said. In times of crisis, Meredith visited schools and police departments and clinics to lend a hand.

When students started returning to school in Redondo Beach after COVID lockdown orders, Rose said anxiety was out of control so she and Meredith visited many a campus.

"I was going from school to school to meet with students who were struggling. She helped so many students through some very hard days," Rose said.

Recently, Rose recalled an incident in the City of El Monte when two officers were murdered and she took Meredith to their police department for five days as officers tried to make sense of the tragedy and do their best to heal. When officers spoke about what happened, Rose said Meredith would approach every crying person to offer kisses.

Some of the most important lessons Rose learned from Meredith, she said, were compassion, patience and when to "just be quiet and let the magic of the dog do the work." Their work together helped Rose understand both the younger and older generations, she said.

"She helped me understand how beautiful this world is, and that we actually have more in common than some think," Rose said. "I listened and learned from everyone I came into contact with, and that is a beautiful thing, and I am richer for it."