Officers Learn First Aid Skills To Help K-9 Partners
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- There is a certain type of police officer who is more prone to injuries that others -- K-9s.
The University of Minnesota's College of Veterinary Medicine is trying to remedy that.
They offered a new course for officers from all over the metro which teaches the partners of K-9 officers how to quickly render aid should the dogs be cut, or even shot.
Human officers practice on resuscitation mannequins at a law enforcement training facility in Edina. But the mannequins represent the snouts of Q and Chaos from the Airport Police Department, and Doc from U of M Police.
Sgt. Ryan Rivers with UMPD spends a lot of time with Doc, a black lab.
"You work with them, they ride around in a car with you all day long, you sit at home, you watch TV, the dog's beside you," Rivers said. "Some days you spend more time with your dog than the rest of your family members."
Dr. Kelly Tart, a trauma vet with the U, says because police dogs tend to get injured more often due to their bravery.
"They get traumatized and get exposed to all types of toxins and things that can potentially take their life," Tart said.
She leads a class on how to resuscitate dogs who may not be breathing, and how to stabilize them if they are bleeding.
"Just to get the confidence and know-how and have a vet watch you do it and make sure you know you're doing it right," Rivers said.
The officers from Renville County, Minnetonka, Minneapolis and several other departments will be be leaving the class with their own first aid kits.
"They want to know what to do and how to handle their partners, making sure they are safe," Tart said.
It is just another way these guys have each other's back.
