A decorated Lake County Sheriff's office police canine with nearly a decade of service will be retiring following an injury sustained last month while apprehending a suspect.
K9 Dax, who originally joined the department at the age of 13 months in the spring of 2015, had an illustrious career as a canine alongside his partner, Deputy John Forlenza.
According to officials, K9 Dax assisted in locating over 400 missing endangered people or fleeing felons, while also helping in the detection of hundreds of kilograms of illegal drugs and seizing of cash and illegal firearms.
Dax, a member of the U.S. Police Canine Association, competed in several regional and national trials, receiving high accolades for tracking, article searches and narcotics, among other fields.
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Also no stranger to the camera, Dax appeared on several nationally broadcast TV programs, including NBC's "Today with Hoda and Jenna," A&E's "America's Top Dog" and Hallmark's "Home and Family."
Dax has also received over a dozen awards over the course of his storied career, including the 2018 K9s of Valor Foundation "K9 of the Year" award and the 2023 Illinois Law Enforcement Medal of Honor.
On March 3, Dax sustained an injury that would go on to necessitate his retirement while assisting in the apprehension of a fleeing suspect.
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Dax injured his neck and spine in the incident, causing temporary paralysis to his hindquarters, police said.
Later, Dax was diagnosed with cervical and thoracolumbar Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) and lumbosacral IVDD exasperated during the incident. Dax has since regained the ability to walk thanks to intensive physical therapy.
Dax's veterinarians determined that he would not be able to return to active-duty for his physical well-being.
A retirement ceremony for Dax will be held at a later date.
