Off-Duty Officer’s K9 Hailed A ‘Hero’ After It Saves Neighbor From Terrible Dog Attack

An off-duty officer’s Czechoslovakian shepherd dog proved to be ready for action anytime when it helped save the life of a neighbor in a dramatic way.

The dog from a specific German shepherd line is owned by police officer Drew Canaday and although he is not technically a police K9, he’s been trained to defend his home.

Canaday works with the Ferguson Police Department in Missouri, but was off-duty and sleeping on Wednesday afternoon when he heard a horrible scream near his house. I mean, the worst scream I ever heard,” Canaday said. “It was a blood-curdling scream.

At the time the officer was not dressed for action, he says, “And I grab my robe, because I was in my underwear, and I go running out the door.” He made sure he grabbed his pistol because he wanted to be ready for whatever was going on outside.

His neighbor, Katherine Rose, was being attacked by a neighbor’s dog in her own yard and her son, Reggie was hitting it with a broom, but it wasn’t enough to stop the dog. Canaday was contemplating shooting the dog dead, but he didn’t because that would put Rose and Reggie at risk.

So he went inside the house because he knew what exactly would stop the dog. “I came back to my front door, said, ‘Ozzie get him,’ and he knew exactly what to do,” Canaday recalled. “He went straight for that dog and he hit that dog full force, getting that dog to release her arm.”

The dog, Poncho, seemed unfazed and continued fighting with Ozzie for the next 20 minutes. Poncho’s owners arrived on the scene and tried to pull him away, but he was very aggressive and bit one of them causing serious damage.

“When Poncho first let go of Ozzie, he turned around and grabbed his own owner, bit his own owner in the calf,” Canaday said. “This dog is, is super aggressive, and why the door was left open … for him to get out, I don’t know.”

After everything subsided, everybody involved in the incident had to get medical attention, and Canaday got dressed and took his faithful canine to the vet for care. “He was bleeding badly from his front left paw,” Canaday wrote in a post on Facebook.

“The Doctor at Ferguson Animal Hospital got him in immediately and went to work. Ozzie suffered a puncture in the main artery in his paw. He got stitched up, wrapped up, given meds, and was sent home with his proud Daddy to rest.”

Meanwhile, Rose was rushed to the hospital and was waiting for surgery on her finger. “I’m trying to stay strong but it’s so hard,” she said. “My finger’s ate up so bad that it’s deep down, close to the bone, to where I have to go to a surgeon.

“I’m alive. Thank God for Drew the police officer that stayed next door to me, and his dog. His dog saved my life.”

Even one of Poncho’s owners had to get treatment and revealed Poncho had to be put down following the incident. The owner expressed gratitude for Canaday and Ozzie.

Canaday is super happy with what Ozzie did that day and says, “I’m a very proud poppa,” he said. “Ozzie your Daddy loves you and is sooo proud of you!” he added on Facebook. “You are a lifesaver! Let’s see the news give credit to an off-duty officer in his underwear and his dog saving lives like it’s just another day.”

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