In April, when deputies were out searching for a robbery suspect, K9 Atlas picked up the suspect’s scent in a dumpster and his handler hoisted the dog inside to try to find him. Within minutes, they made an arrest; however, K9 Atlas had stepped on a sharp piece of glass, severely cutting his paw, and lacerating an artery. His handler acted quickly and made a tourniquet to stop the bleeding, then rushed the dog to the veterinary hospital where he underwent surgery to save his life.
Sgt. Brian Starbuck with K9 Atlas
“These medical kits have been in the works for a long time, but when K9 Atlas was severely injured, we made it our goal to get them immediately,” says Sgt. Brian Starbuck, K9 Unit. Deputy Jeff Meyers, a SWAT medic who recently attended K9 first-aid training, helped purchase the new kits and will train the K9 handlers on how to use them.
“These are personalized kits specific to a K9, with a dog-sized tourniquet. Having this equipment on hand could mean the difference between life and death for a valuable working police dog,” says Deputy Jeff Meyers, SWAT Medic.
“Having this equipment allows us to treat our dogs on the spot with advanced life-saving measures. We have medical kits for humans. It’s nice to now have those same medical kits for the dogs,” says Sgt. Starbuck. Sgt. Starbuck says the cost for six small medical kits and two large ones was about $2,000, a small price to pay to help save the lives of these police dogs if they’re hurt in the line of duty.