From Fox 5 comes the upsetting story of three-year-old Blu, a Belgian Malanois who works as a Metro Transit Police patrol dog and needs dental work. Dental work that Metro won’t pay for.

The dog’s handler Steve Morrison and Morrison’s wife Christine told Fox 5 that Blu, a decorated tracker, may be retired.

The Belgian Malanois breed has been in constant pain for several months now. He has broken three teeth and a fourth is cracked from barking and biting down on the metal grate in the patrol car. Morrison says it is a common problem seen with patrol dogs.

Christine says Metro doesn’t insure their patrol dogs, so the $6,800 tab to fix Blu’s teeth is now her husband Steve’s responsibility. She says Metro officials have refused to pay.

Here’s the statement Fox got from Metro: “The transit police department has a diminished need for patrol dogs. When an existing patrol dog is no longer able to fulfill its duties, the dog is allowed to retire and the position is eliminated. This is in contrast with bomb-detecting EOD K9s, which is a unit that has expanded significantly in recent years.”

The Morrisons are now raising money on their own to pay for Blu’s dental work. Over $9,700 has been raised through Indiegogo so far. The family says they’ll put any extra money into a fund for police dogs. Hopefully Blu will be able to return to work soon.