NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – A United States Forest Service K9 that formerly worked on the Mendocino National Forest in Lake County was stabbed during a marijuana eradication operation in Trinity County on Thursday.
The incident involving K9 “Ice,” a 7-year-old Belgian Malinois, occurred at around 7 a.m. Thursday, according to Patrol Captain Chad Krogstad of the Shasta-Trinity and Six Rivers national forests.
Krogstad said Ice and his handler, who had previously worked in Lake County, was on a raid in a marijuana garden.
“He was stabbed in the course of apprehending a suspect,” Krogstad said of Ice.
Ice suffered wounds to his chest and face, Krogstad said.
Krogstad said the California Highway Patrol responded to the scene with a helicopter and flew Ice to a veterinarian in Redding, where he underwent surgery.
On Thursday evening, Ice was stable and was just coming out of the anesthesia from surgery, Krogstad said.
Krogstad said the suspect, a man tending the grow when law enforcement arrived, was taken into custody after stabbing the dog.
No one else was injured in the raid, Krogstad said.
Krogstad said Ice's handler “is doing as well as can be expected” in the wake of the injury to his four-legged partner.
Ice is a law enforcement veteran who Krogstad said “has been around the block,” and encountered dangerous situations before.
The stabbing of Ice occurred just a week after another law enforcement K9 in the Trinity County area was stabbed during a pot grow eradication.
On July 14, Trinity County Sheriff's Office K9 Johnny was stabbed in the side of the neck while attempting to apprehend a male subject, the agency reported.
Johnny survived the attack but had to return to the animal hospital earlier this week due to an infection, according to media reports.
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REGIONAL: US Forest Service K9 stabbed during marijuana garden raid
- Elizabeth Larson
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