“Thank you for your service, Jax,” APD said. “We’ll take it from here.”
AUSTIN, Texas — The Austin Police Department (APD) is mourning the loss of a K-9 that served alongside police officers for nearly a decade.
Jax suffered a medical complication and died over the weekend.
“Despite the efforts of dedicated and talented doctors, his condition was beyond recovery,” the department said. “Although he was deteriorating quickly and could barely stand, he made one last trip around the room, hoping someone would throw his beloved Kong one final time. Jax passed away shortly after 7 p.m. surrounded by his loving family.”
The Belgian Malinois began training in August of 2016 and over the course of his service, helped officers make more than 200 arrests. Eleven of those suspects were wanted for murder.
Officials with the police department said Jax was the first APD patrol K-9 to die while still actively working.
He was set to retire in less than two weeks.
“Thank you for your service, Jax,” APD said. “We’ll take it from here.”