A police dog bit off more than he could chew as he and an officer pursued a suspect over the Easter weekend.
The dog, named Odin, and his officer were tracking down a 29-year-old man who was wanted for a number of felony charges.
The man fled on foot, and as Odin and the officer were tracking him down, Odin came across a porcupine on the path.
Odin was sadly struck by more than 200 of the porcupine’s quills, mostly around his mouth and face, and a few in his paws. Thankfully the dog was taken straight to Hanson-Meekins Animal Hospital in Coos Bay, Oregon, and will make a full recovery, though the photos look very dramatic.
Check out Odin’s beard:
The photos show the police K9 with hundreds of white quills stuck in his mouth, face, near his left eye and front paws.
Odin had to be sedated and treated for more than two hours by staff at the animal hospital.
Coos County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement on Facebook:
Coos County Sheriff K9 Odin was called to the scene to conduct a criminal apprehension track for the suspect. During a very long active track, Odin encounter [sic] a porcupine in the path, and was struck with over 200 quills. Several of the quills went inside Odin’s mouth and two near his left eye.
The track was immediately suspended and Odin was rushed to the vet at Hansen-Meekins Animal Hospital where he was sedated and treated for over two hours on the night before Easter.
Odin, as well as his fellow K9 Raven, even have their own Facebook page, where the police officers offered an update on the recovering pup.
They wrote:
Odin is feeling much better today!!! Although he looks kinda like Rocky! The pictures don’t do the swelling justice. Thanks again for all the well wishes for this fur man!!!! He has had an amazing life and story.
Odin captures his 80th direct suspect the day prior and when this happened he was closing in on suspect capture 81. The man he was looking for had several felony warrants and had committed new crimes also. Odin is an amazing partner and I feel honored to be a part of his team every time his paws hit the ground.
I’m sure Odin will be back on his paws in no time, as long as there are no porcupines around!
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Charlie Cocksedge is a journalist and sub-editor at UNILAD. He graduated from the University of Manchester with an MA in Creative Writing, where he learnt how to write in the third person, before getting his NCTJ. His work has also appeared in such places as The Guardian, PN Review and the bin.