“Owned” is not the right word. A dog is part of the family, and anyone who has had a dog in his family understands this very well. A dog’s love is unconditional. They are trusted companions and extremely loyal. Dogs are eager to please and therefore are fast learners. They can be trained in many ways besides the obvious “sit,” “stay,” and “down.” Areas where dogs shine the brightest include assisting people with disabilities, herding livestock, search and rescue, therapy, transporting people and things across long distances, hunting, the military, and law enforcement. Law-enforcement dogs — also known as K-9 police dogs — are uniquely trained to aid law-enforcement officers. These dogs must pass basic obedience training and respond to and obey the commands of their handler without hesitation. This is imperative in critical incidents; it could be the difference between life and death. K-9 dogs are a huge asset to police departments. A well-trained K-9 will not cause severe injuries. It can be called back at any time during a critical incident and can help encourage a subject to comply without resistance. A dog can cover ground much faster than we can. It will protect its handler. Its keen sense of smell is an asset when on the heels of a suspect or sniffing out drugs. It can also apprehend a suspect who is trying to escape the police. These are just some of the benefits of using a K-9 police dog.
Police K-9s have two main classifications. The first is patrol. These dogs provide patrol duties such as officer protection, suspect apprehension, and security in sensitive locations. The second classification is detection. These dogs find narcotics or explosives. They are specifically trained to detect one or the other. Other areas of detection are tracking, locating lost persons, and cadaver detection. Police K-9s serve on the force for an average of 6-9 years.
I would like to share with you the story of a K-9 who was critically wounded in the line of duty and his amazing recovery.His name is Iro. On the early morning of October 14, 2023, “officers with the Fond du Lac Police Department and deputies with the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office responded to a disturbance in the 500 block of Drury Place” in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, according to a Wisconsin Department of Justice press release. A woman had escaped a house in the 500 block of Dury Place. She told the police that she had been sexually abused and held hostage by 33-year-old Kyle Massie. The victim also told the police that he had loaded weapons. Deputy Blaine Evans and his K-9 partner, Iro, responded to the call, even though Deputy Evans had only five minutes remaining in his shift. He spotted Massie in a vehicle and tried to pull him over with his sirens on. Massie did not stop and instead drove to his home. Deputy Evans performed a precision immobilization technique (PIT) maneuver as Massie pulled into the driveway, and Massie collided into the partially open garage door. Deputy Evans and K-9 Iro then approached Massie’s vehicle. When Massie exited the vehicle, he pulled out an AR-style rifle. Deputy Evans gave Massie verbal commands to drop his weapon, but he did not comply. Deputy Evans then fired at Massie, and Iro was released to help apprehend him. Massie fired his weapon at Iro, striking him three to five times. At a press conference following the incident, Fond du Lac County Sheriff Ryan Waldschmidt said, “I am sure he did not anticipate a dog or a K-9 entering the garage. That distraction gave Blaine time to return fire, time to reposition, time to get to better cover, and undoubtedly saved Blaine’s life.”
Iro was found in the garage lying in a pool of his own blood. He had severe wounds and significant trauma to his chest, torso, and both right legs, and his right rear leg had been shattered and severely wounded. This was a sight no one wanted to see. Deputy Evans and other law-enforcement officers acted quickly to help the fallen K-9. Evans reportedly said, “You saved Dad, and we have to save you.” The bond between a dog and its owner is a strong one. As mentioned earlier, dogs are part of the family. We love them as we would love a family member, and they return that love tenfold — even if it means laying their life on the line for their owner or handler.
During the critical incident, Massie got back into his vehicle and drove out of the garage, slamming into Evan’s squad car. “He could have surrendered at that moment, but he chose to get back in the car, put it in reverse, crash back through the garage door, and crash into the front of the squad car that’s blocking him in the driveway,” Sheriff Waldschmidt said. This is when Massie decided to end his life by shooting himself. The law-enforcement officers on site rushed to give him aid, but their efforts were to no avail; he died from his self-inflicted injury. Deputy Evans believes that Massie got into his vehicle armed with the AR-style rifle for one reason only: to hunt down his hostage and kill her. Thankfully, no other people were injured.
On March 25, 2024, Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney stated that no charges would be filed against Deputy Evans. He said, “There is no basis to consider or issue criminal charges in this circumstance against Deputy Evans or any other law-enforcement officer that assisted. I found his actions were privileged and self-defense.” Deputy Evans believes Iro saved his life. The distraction Iro caused allowed Deputy Evans to get in a position to shield himself and have a better chance of hitting his target should the need arise, which it did. This incident gained much public attention because of Iro’s injuries. He was
quickly transported to a veterinary hospital in the Appleton area and underwent multiple surgeries. Waldschmidt said that “by the grace of God,” Iro was on the road to recovery. Less than a week after being wounded, Iro was released from veterinary care. He returned home with Deputy Evans. Many fellow deputies and veterinary staff members waited outside as Iro walked out of the clinic. They cheered and applauded as he walked past everyone. Iro was still bandaged, casted, and limping. But he was walking — at times enthusiastically — with little assistance through the crowd that gathered to witness his release. To his enjoyment, some of the wellwishers petted and scratched him. Sheriff Waldschmidt said Iro’s release came “after a week of making incrediblen strides in his recovery.” He continued, “This was much earlier than anyone predicted, but Iro met all of the metrics necessary for release and continues to progress every day. The staff and surgical team at this hospital have been amazing. Without them, Iro would not be with us today. There is lot of rehabilitation and healing still ahead, but Iro is one tough K9 that has become not only a source of inspiration and strength for our staff, but for our community and far beyond.” Iro continues to heal at home with Deputy Evans. He does have to visit the vet a few times a week for checkups. His wounds are continuing to heal nicely, and many of the staples have been removed. He is getting stronger every day and is enjoying the gifts so many people have given him during his recovery. There has been such an outpouring of love and concern for Iro. It is heartwarming, and it goes a long way toward helping the brave police dog continue to heal. Iro’s surgery was made possible by a fellow dog named Dwyer. Dwyer is a yellow labrador owned by one of the technicians at the veterinary hospital where Iro was being cared for. Thankfully, Dwyer’s blood type was compatible with Iro’s. This allowed the lab to donate his blood, helping raise Iro’s blood count enough to undergo surgery. A big thank you to Dwyer!
Four months after Iro was critically wounded in the line of duty, he got his leg brace removed and was cleared to do his physical therapy without it. This is a huge step in Iro’s recovery. According to the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office in February, Iro has been working with Deputy Evans “seven days a week on specific rehabilitation exercises, and they travel to the UW Veterinary Hospital twice a week for additional rehab.” Officials say that while Iro has a way to go in his recovery, all signs point in the right direction. With the support of an amazing team of doctors, technicians, friends, and family, Iro is destined to continue to do
wonderful things. We realize how vital it is to have a strong support team — it is our lifeline. It is often the difference between healing and regression, and in some cases, between life and death. Iro is blessed to have this support from so many people, including Deputy Evans, other law-enforcement officials, the veterinary staff, friends, family, and everyone following his story who are concerned for his well-being. Those who know Iro probably feel like they are the ones who are blessed. A huge shoutout to the amazing outpouring of love and concern for Iro. Thank you to all those who donated to help with Iro’s medical bills. The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office’s K-9 program is completely funded by donations. The community, including some local businesses, came together to help with the costs. Iro’s spirit and unwavering dedication to duty serve as a testimony to the bravery of all our four-legged heroes.
