A police K-9 in Miami Gardens has been missing since Monday night, and the search is still on. Gael, a yellow Labrador around two and a half years old, bolted from the back of his handler’s patrol vehicle at about 9:35 p.m. near the 200 block of Northwest 195th Street.
Officer K. Stanley and Gael had been responding to a business alarm. When she opened the rear door of the cruiser, the Labrador ran east across Northwest Second Avenue and did not respond to commands. Surveillance footage tracked part of his route, including a tire shop he ran through.
What this means for your dog
Another recording appears to show Gael getting hit by a vehicle. He kept running east. The search has pulled in every available Miami Gardens unit, the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office aviation unit, and drones, while officers went door to door with flyers. Officials paused the effort Tuesday night and resumed Wednesday.
Gael weighs between 55 and 65 pounds, has beige fur and brown eyes, and was wearing a black collar printed with the words “Mama says I’m special.” He is microchipped, and that detail matters. When a frightened dog is picked up by a stranger or a shelter, a chip is often the only thing that gets him home, so it is worth checking that your dog’s chip registration and phone number are current.
There is a lesson in how Gael got loose. Dogs that bolt from cars are scared, not defiant. Clipping the leash before the door opens, or fitting a harness with two attachment points, closes the gap between a routine stop and a lost dog, the same logic behind our road trip safety tips. Anyone in Miami Gardens who spots Gael should call police rather than chase him. Full coverage: iHeartDogs.