GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Grand Rapids Police Department (GRPD) K9 Officer Dozer and his handler were on their way to a breaking and entering call when their cruiser was hit by an SUV in the early morning of August 4.
While his handler was OK, Dozer suffered a severe spinal injury, causing paralysis in his hind legs. Now, GRPD has shared on Twitter that Dozer is home with Officer Teddy Vanvliet.
They said Dozer is starting rehab and they've seen "small but incremental progress" in his left hind leg.
While they say Dozer has a long way to go, they are encouraged that "mentally, he seems to be getting back to his happy and high-spirited self."
Dozer is also expected to walk again since his spinal cord is still intact, as was shared in a previous update. However, Dozer may not ever fully regain the function of his legs.
Dozer received veterinarian care in both Grand Rapids and Farmington Hills, GRPD says they will continue to share updates on his recovery.
After the crash, five suspects emerged from the SUV that hit the GRPD cruiser and fled the scene. The five suspects are still at large.
Police released dashcam video from the crash and an image of a second vehicle, an early 2010s Nissan Altima, that allegedly picked up some of the suspects and drove away from the crash scene.
“If you know anything about this crash or those involved, please contact GRPD or Silent Observer,” said Chief Winstrom. “We need your help. We all want and deserve safe streets and this kind of reckless behavior is a danger to us all.”
If you have any information on this crash, you can contact officers at (616) 456-3771 or (616) 456-4282. Tips can also be sent anonymously through Silent Observer (616) 774-2345/ www.silentobserver.org.
Editor's note: The dashcam video contains audio of an animal in distress. Some viewers may find this disturbing.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Watch 13 ON YOUR SIDE for free on Roku, Amazon Fire TV Stick, and on your phone.