The Secret Service says one of its canines fell to its death at a New Orleans fundraiser where Vice President Joe Biden was speaking.

Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan says the dog was doing a security sweep Saturday of a parking garage next to the Ritz-Carlton. That's where Biden was attending a fundraiser for Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu's re-election campaign.

The Secret Service said the death was a tragic accident. Law enforcement officials aren't releasing the name or gender of the dog.

The Secret Service in the past has exclusively used Belgian Malinois dogs, which are known for being good workers and for adapting well to new environments. The specially trained canines can be used to detect explosives and firearms.