MCSO hosts K-9 first aid training for law enforcement agencies across the state

File photo: K-9 officers with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit pray together with their K-9s during a memorial service for K-9 Leo at the Marion County Sheriff’s Office in Ocala, Fla. on Monday, March 4, 2024. K-9 Leo, whose handler was K-9 Marion County Sheriff’s Office Cpl. Justin Tortora, passed away from his injuries on Feb. 20 after being shot in the line of duty on Feb. 17, 2024. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2024.

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office recently wrapped up its second day of training for law enforcement officers across the state to administer first aid care to K-9 officers.

More than 70 attendees from 56 different agencies went through the training, put on by K9s United, held at the MCSO Central Operations Compound on May 2 and 3. The agencies included law enforcement, corrections, K-9 units, fire rescue and paramedic units, said MCSO spokesperson Zachary Moore.

“The course put on by K9s United was a course in K-9 operation medicine, which is basically dealing with traumatic injuries that could happen out on a call,” Moore said. “So, if your K-9 partner is shot, stabbed, or anything like that.”

The training comes just months after one of MCSO’s own K-9 deputies, Leo, was shot in the field while protecting his human deputy counterparts. Leo was rushed to the veterinary hospital by Marion County Fire Rescue staff but succumbed to his injuries.

“Unfortunately, in K-9 Leo’s situation, this training wouldn’t have necessarily made the situation any better,” Moore said. “He was immediately cared for right there on scene, transported to the hospital, and then complications from the gunshot wounds that he sustained is ultimately what resulted in his death.”

K9s United received a $400,000 grant from the state of Florida and State Sen. Tom Wright, R-Volusia, to put on the training, which utilized a 70-pound simulated canine.

“K9s United brought an animatronic dog that will simulate being in pain, it has a press speaker so it can help in pain and things like that,” Moore said. “There’s an exposed laceration that they learned how to properly stop the bleeding on, as well as pack it and wrap it up properly.”

All seven members of MCSO’s K-9 unit were present for the training, Moore said.

“One of the (training) scenarios is picking up their injured dog and taking it to the back of an ambulance and working with medics, who are also here attending the training, on how to properly wrap a head wound or leg wound,” Moore said.

The training aimed to teach immediate first aid that will allow for in-the-field treatment of traumatic injuries of canines until the dog can be treated by medics or taken to the hospital, Moore said.

The MCSO K-9 team, along with members from agencies across the state, received training that could mean life or death for the next time a canine suffers a traumatic injury in the field.

“That did kind of open our eyes to something we already knew, which is that anything can happen whenever you’re out on patrol,” Moore said. “In light of that, we wanted to ensure that our K-9 unit, as well as other agencies, could benefit from a training like this if, God forbid, something like this ever happens again.”