Detective (Ret.) Stella, B.A. (Bones and Anthropology)
Breed: Springer Spaniel
Date of Birth: June 2, 2019 — Born and bred in Ontario
Agency: Toronto Police Service
Reg. No.: 8961
Status: Retired, but still investigating suspicious splashes and snack disappearances.
Stella began her career with dreams of field trial glory — but quickly realized chasing dummies was nothing compared to chasing down actual mysteries. Switching career paths (and collars), Stella joined the Toronto Police Service as a Cadaver Detection Dog, working alongside her human partner, TC Ian Littler. Together, they sniffed out truth and justice across the GTA, tackling homicide and missing person investigations on both land and lake.
But Stella’s brilliance didn’t stop there — she may be one of the few dogs in North America to receive “advanced training” in Forensic Anthropology at Western Carolina University. (Yes, she technically audited the course, but only because she couldn’t hold a pencil.) She trained side by side with U.S. federal agencies, honing her “bone-ology” skills and occasionally stealing lunch sandwiches from unsuspecting scientists.
As a seasoned professional and mentor, Stella used her “degree” to help new recruits gain confidence in tough environments — from noisy downtown streets to spooky abandoned buildings. Rumor has it she gave out free motivational barks and life advice like, “Always trust your nose… and your snack supplier.”
Her most memorable case came in November 2023, when she helped locate a victim in a devastating house fire in Scarborough, providing closure to a tragic incident and reminding everyone that heroes come in all shapes, sizes, and fur patterns.
Now retired, Stella enjoys life’s simpler pleasures — swimming laps (and chasing her own splashes), outsmarting her human to reach muddy puddles, and convincing every visitor that throwing the ball is their new full-time job. She remains a devoted family snuggler, part-time puddle inspector, and proud graduate of the University of Good Girls, With highest tail-wagging honors.