After five weeks on the mend, Police Service Dog Cora is back on the streets. Cora was injured on the job Dec. 28 following a criminal flight along the Yellowhead Trail.
The suspect vehicle collided with a light standard near St. Albert Trail, where the driver fled on foot. Cst. Darren Smith and PSD Cora were on the scene in seconds and spotted the suspect running into a nearby residential area. The suspect refused to follow verbal directions and continued to flee from police.
Cora gave chase, and caught up with fleeing man immediately. The suspect turned on Cora, allegedly assaulting her with a weapon. The suspect was taken into custody by responding officers, while Cora was rushed to a nearby Vet. She received treatment for multiple stab wounds to her head and muzzle.
For the next month Cora recovered from her injuries, while at the same time keeping up her training. Cst. Smith received overwhelming support from both other police officers/agencies, and the public. Cards, emails, and gift baskets from as far away as Arizona have been pouring into the Vallevand Kennels since the end of December. “The support for Cora and the rest of our Canine Unit has been overwhelming.” says Cst. Darren Smith. “It means the world to me that these people took the time to send us their best wishes.”
The mountain of get-well cards and dog-treats on Cst. Smiths desk continues to grow, even now as Cora returns to work. “She lives to work, so the best gift for her was coming back to work today.” says Smith. “Her recovery so far is very encouraging”. “She’s the same energetic, motivated, and focused dog she was before this happened.” “It’ll take more than something like this to keep her away from the job”.