This just makes me all misty-eyed. Bravo to this canine.
Stabbed Dog Credited With Saving Officers From Injury
Man Faces Felony Charge In Connection With Animal's Wounds
POSTED: 9:17 pm EST January 9, 2006
MUNCIE, Ind. -- A Ball State University police dog is recovering from stab wounds inflicted when it went after a fleeing suspect.
BSU Officer Craig Hodson said the stabbing happened Friday after he tried to stop a car whose driver had been speeding. Police said the driver tried to back into Hodson's vehicle twice before driving away.
Police said the driver, Randolph Puckett, 51, led Hodson on a chase. Puckett eventually parked his car in the parking lot of Ball Memorial Hospital and left on foot, police said.
Police said Hodson then released his animal partner, Boyka, for a pursuit. Hodson said that after Boyka caught up with Puckett, he saw Puckett making punching motions at the dog.
Hodson said that when he got closer, he saw blood on Boyka. The Belgian Malinois had been stabbed in the shoulder and in the chest with a kitchen knife.
Hodson said he believed Puckett would have tried to stab him or another pursuing officer if Boyka hadn't been there.
"(Boyka) kind of took it for us," Hodson told RTV6's Jennifer Carmack on Monday.
BSU Police Chief Gene Burton said Boyka's actions were "pretty heroic."
"We would probably be talking about a police officer injured in the line of duty instead of a police dog" if it weren't for Boyka, Burton said.
Puckett was being held in the Delaware County Jail on Monday. He faces several charges, including striking a law enforcement animal, a class D felony.
The dog is expected to be on light duty for a few days while it recovers.



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