We are saddened to announce the death of Mounted Unit Horse Argyll, following an accidental injury that occurred while off duty. He was sent to the Ontario Veterinary College Large Animal Hospital in Guelph where veterinarians did everything they could for him.

Argyll, who became a member of the Mounted Unit in May 2020, was a seven-year-old Percheron Cross. He was named after The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise’s), which honoured the close connection between the Hamilton Police Service and the local regiment.

“Argyll was one of the smartest horses I have ever worked with. He was brave, confident, curious and a perpetual child. He was constantly getting into things and kept those working with him on our toes. He was an excellent horse to work with and he quickly settled into policing,” says Sergeant Denise Leonard.

Due to Argyll’s playful nature, he was a hit with the Mounted Unit and he will be greatly missed. His death comes soon after the retirement of Barron, who hung up his reins after nearly a decade on the job.

The Mounted Patrol Unit was established in January 2010 as an operational police unit and its mandate is to offer high visibility policing, crowd management and active crime prevention in Hamilton. The unit also works closely with the ACTION Team to respond to areas identified by hotspot analysis that require focused proactive patrol.