UTAH COUNTY, Utah — The Utah County Sheriff's Office announced one of their K9 officers passed away after his heart stopped during a surgery.
Axe was an 8-year-old Dutch Shepherd who was serving in the jail at the time of his passing.
He retired as a patrol dog for a short time and was later brought back to serve as the first K9 in the Utah County Jail. In the jail, Axe was used for drug detection and had four different handlers.
"Axe was full of energy and loved to 'work,'" The Utah County Sheriff's Office said in a press release. "While he, like all our other K9's, loved rewards, he was loyal, hard working, and fun loving."
The K9 recently suffered a torn ACL and was in surgery when his heart stopped and doctors were unable to revive him. Axe had previously been doing therapy and his treatment plan was not working, which is why surgery was required.
"As any pet owner knows, our K9 handlers develop strong bonds to their K9 partners," UCSO said in a press release. "Other Deputies and staff always enjoyed watching Axe play. His energy, companionship and willingness to serve will be missed."
