A 24-hour update on saving K-9 Leo

Marion County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Leo [Photo courtesy of MCSO]

Marion County Fire Rescue’s response to Marion County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Leo being shot on Feb. 17 may have been the first time in the state’s history where EMT/paramedics have been utilized to provide emergency care and transport of a K-9.

The “Gazette” was unable to find another instance reported and is waiting for confirmation from the governor’s office.

MCFR’s intervention on behalf of Leo is in part due to legislation passed in 2021 when Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 388 allowing EMTs licensed to perform basic life support and paramedics licensed to do advanced life support, but not otherwise trained in veterinary care, to provide emergency care to specialty K-9’s injured in the line of duty. Prior to the bill, only those licensed in veterinary care with limited exceptions could perform the care.

In addition to providing emergency lifesaving support, the bill also authorized use of ambulances usually reserved only to support human life to transport injured K-9s.

The analysis that accompanied the bill indicated that 48 K-9s had been killed in the line of duty in 2020.

Since then, some paramedics have utilized opportunities for specialized training. Such was the case with MCFR Capt. Bethany Smith and Paramedic Caitlin Mays, who took advantage of training opportunities held locally last year and provided services to Leo on the day he was shot.

MCSO k-9 Leo receives emergency care.

Leo was transported in critical condition by MCFR from the local UF emergency veterinary clinic in Ocala to Gainesville’s UF Small Animal hospital that is part of the university’s College of Medicine. Since the MCFR truck wasn’t equipped for treating the K-9, they utilized some equipment from the Ocala emergency veterinary clinic when they picked up Leo to get him to Gainesville.

The UF small veterinary hospital indicated that they could not provide the “Gazette” with a status update on the K-9 without the “owner’s permission.” When the “Gazette” pointed out that the K-9 was the property of local government and thereby the people’s K-9, we received no response.

As of Sunday, Feb. 18, MCSO has not responded to “Gazette” questions about Leo’s condition or published an update on the MCSO Facebook page in the past 24 hours. Deputies at the animal hospital on Feb. 17 were not permitted to answer questions about Leo and as the sole journalist at the hospital waiting to hear news on the K-9’s status, I was restricted from listening to the veterinary update given in the lobby to MCSO and Alachua County deputies. I did, however, hear deputies clapping upon receipt of the news.

However, based on public records obtained by the “Gazette” Leo is stable today but likely will need more surgeries.

The “Gazette” will update this story as information becomes available.

See our earlier coverage at ocalagazette.com/marion-county-sheriffs-k-9-shot/