2 Central MN K-9’s Suddenly Die In Last Week

It's been a tough week for two Central Minnesota Sheriff's Offices, as 2 K-9's suddenly died, leaving their communities and handlers mourning their losses. Here's what we know about the deaths.

Sherburne County Loses K9 Unexpectedly

This morning, the Sherburne County Sheriff's Office posted about the unexpected loss of K-9 Bronco, which occurred last week after suffering an 'unexpected' medical emergency.

Bronco's death leaves Serburne County with two other K-9s, which, according to the Sherburne County website, are Bane and his handler Deputy Nick Carlson and K-9 Storm, who works as a narcotics detection dog in the jail.

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Stearns County Loses K-9 Officer In Last 24 Hours

On top of the local law enforcement community mourning the loss of Bronco out of Sherburne County, Stearns County lost a K-9 in the last 24 hours.

Jax, who was handled by Deputy Adam Johnson, also suffered an 'unexpected' medical episode, with the social media post indicating 'complications'.

Jax's unexpected death leaves Stearns County with at least two other K-9s, which are:

• Storm, a bloodhound who works with Deputy Laura Berg
• Porter, also a bloodhound who works with Deputy Scott Fischer

Winter Sees Fewer Risks For K-9 Officers

One of the biggest risks for K-9s isn't suspect-related, but heat. One of the most dangerous conditions for a K-9 is heatstroke from an AC unit malfunctioning in the squad, followed by suffering traumatic injuries from a suspect, with other causes of K-9 death being exposure to fentanyl or "chronic musculoskeletal problems."

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