The two K9s who were injured in the January 24, 2024, critical incident in South Ada County continue to recover. BPD’s K9 Meko and ACSO’s K9 Astrid were treated and released from WestVet on Thursday, January 26, 2024. They spent the last two weeks recovering at home with their handlers and going to follow-up appointments. The decision on when the K9s return to duty will be based on their ongoing recovery.
K9 Meko has been making great strides and is nearly recovered despite some stiffness and muscle inflammation. He may even be able to return to limited drug detection work soon.
“We work with and live with these K9s knowing that they won’t hesitate when the time comes to do their job. It’s an honor and privilege to be part of the K9 team and see the love, toughness, and work ethic that dogs like Meko give to the world. We couldn’t be more grateful that he is recovering, and we thank the community for their support,” said Sgt. Kirk Rush.
“As some of you may know, I ran our K9 unit for several years, and I have deep attachments for our dogs and deputies that work together — so I really appreciate the incredible support we’ve got from our community. It means so much to me,” Ada County Sheriff Matt Clifford said. “Knowing that so many people have reached out over the last few weeks and asked how Astrid is doing — or just sharing their good thoughts with us — has lifted the spirits of our entire agency. We’re encouraged by how Astrid is doing so far. She’s had a few setbacks, but she looks and feels good and is getting better every day.”
“We are honored to provide expert, compassionate care to Astrid and Meko. Having emergency and specialty services in one place was key to addressing their injuries. Our team quickly assessed and stabilized the K9 officers, obtained advanced imaging, provided skilled surgical care, kept them comfortable, and monitored them around the clock while at our hospital. It was a well-coordinated, collaborative effort on behalf of our entire team, and we are glad to see these K9 officers on the road to recovery,” said Dr. Daniel Hume, WestVet Boise Medical Director.
The Ada County Critical Incident Task Force (CITF) investigation led by the Meridian Police Department is ongoing. The Boise Police Department officer involved in the critical incident was Officer C. Johnson. Officer Johnson has been a police officer for eight years.
Photos of Meko:
