On a normal day at the Oxley Police Academy, it would be easy to walk past the Animal Memorial without realising how much history sits in one place: a sandstone plinth and a bronze plaque showing a police dog and a police horse, set there to honour the animals that served alongside Queensland Police Service officers.
On 24 Feb, Queensland Police Service Media used Purple Poppy Day to draw attention back to that Oxley memorial and to the animals still working across Queensland — dogs trained to detect drugs, explosives and firearms, and horses that support crowd control, search operations and community engagement.
QPS described Purple Poppy Day as an annual tribute to war and service animals that have served alongside humans. In Queensland, the message lands with special weight at Oxley, where the memorial honours animals that have served the organisation over the years.
The agency said the Dog Squad includes more than 100 police dogs. Their work is practical and often unseen: detecting illegal substances and dangerous items, tracking offenders, and helping in search and rescue operations when time matters most.
QPS also highlighted the Mounted Police Unit, which it said has served Queensland for more than 150 years and is currently home to 12 police horses, supporting operations and building connections through community engagement.
Purple Poppy Day is also closely linked with War Animal Day, which focuses on remembering animals that served, suffered and died in conflict and service roles. These animals contributed in roles such as communication and transport during conflict, including horses, pigeons, camels and donkeys.
The memorial at Oxley is not tied to a single calendar moment. It is there to keep the memory of service animals in view, while the work of police dogs and horses continues across Queensland.
Published 26-Feb-2026
