Thursday, October 29, 2009

Drug-sniffing dog overdoses on evidence

A drug-sniffing dog is recovering in a veterinary hospital, with his human partner at his side, after accidentally ingesting methamphetamine.

Thousand Oaks Senior Deputy Dean Worthy said that Balu, a 4-year-old German shepherd, had been commanded to search for a bag of drugs near where a suspect had dropped something else. "He did his job," Worthy says. Balu alerted to a bag of meth.

However, Balu must also have inhaled or licked up some remnants from the bag. Hours later, he had a bad reaction.


Photo from here.

Worthy said the dog had a seizure in the back of his patrol car that lasted more than two minutes.

He took his K-9 partner to a veterinary hospital where he appears to be on the road to recovery.

But Worthy said that he also has a bed near Balu's, because the dog gets separation anxiety if he tries to leave and tries to tear out his IV lines. "We do develop a real close bond with these dogs," Worthy said.

With news video.

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