Friday, July 23, 2010

Dax returned to active service

Sun Valley K-9 officer injured small dog last month

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By TERRY SMITH
Express Staff Writer

Dax is returning to work for the Sun Valley Police Department. Courtesy photo

After spending a few weeks on vacation, following an unprovoked attack last month on a small black schnauzer, the Sun Valley Police Department's K-9 officer was placed back on active duty this week.

"Dax will be receiving more training with the goal of preventing this from happening in the future," Police Chief Cameron Daggett said Thursday. "It was an unfortunate situation."

Dax is a 5-year-old dark-colored German shepherd that has been with the Sun Valley Police Department for four years. He is not an attack dog, but is trained to find illegal drugs, missing people or evidence at a crime scene.

On June 26, Dax attacked and injured the schnauzer, named Max, just off Sun Valley Road. Max's owner, Sun Valley resident Jim Chalmers, said the city will pay the veterinarian bill of almost $600.

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It was Dax's second offense. He also attacked and injured a small border collie mix in Slaughterhouse Canyon near Bellevue in November 2007.

In the latest attack, Daggett said Cpl. Mike Abaid, Dax's handler, was given a "corrective action" for briefly leaving Dax unattended.

Daggett said the decision to return Dax to active service was his, but that it was made in consultation with Sun Valley city officials.

Terry Smith: tsmith@mtexpress.com

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