Deputy Sardarius Henderson was with his partner, a German Shepherd named Loki, when they nearly lost their lives. They were chasing a suspect when a car ran a stoplight and got in their way.
Deputy Henderson swerved his vehicle to avoid hitting the car in front of him, and he lost control. His cruiser flipped on its side and rolled over several times. They then hit a utility pole.
Loki, who was sitting in the back seat, got thrown out. When the first responders arrived, the K9 officer was found almost 30 feet away from the car. He was unconscious and not moving at all. Deputy Henderson was conscious and suffered significant but not life-threatening injuries.
Both of them were rushed to hospitals.
Emergency surgery
Loki was immediately taken to the operating room, where a vet performed surgery on him. Four of his vertebrae were fractured. Luckily, they were able to fix the damage. The medical team said that the dog could have died, it was some sort of miracle that he survived.
The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department has partnered with an animal charity group to help with the dog’s medical bills. They have also started a GoFundMe campaign that would help with Loki’s continuing treatment and therapy. So far, they have raised almost 15,000 dollars.
Deputy Henderson was released from the hospital on the same day of the accident.
Hoping for a full recovery
Loki is being kept in the animal hospital for observation and therapy. While he is expected to recover from his injuries, there is no guarantee that he will be able to go back to work. Everyone in the Sheriff’s department hopes that the dog will soon be released.
Deputy Henderson said that his partner is crucial not just to their job but to their lives too. As his handler, he stays with him in his house and is considered a part of his family.
Source: Fox Carolina News via Facebook
