Police dog Dax wins more awards, finds missing man
Dax, a police dog for the Lake County Sheriff's Department, fresh off picking up a slew of awards at a dog trial in Michigan, located a missing man unconscious in heavy brush in Vernon Hills early Saturday on his first shift after returning to duty.
Vernon Hills Police asked for assistance from Deputy John Forlenza and Dax in locating the 51-year-old man, Lake County sheriff's police said in a news release. Dax tracked the man one-quarter mile, before locating him at 5:30 a.m. next to the Indian Creek just west of Buffalo Grove Road. Paramedics transported the man to a hospital.
Earlier in the week at the United States Police Canine Association Region #19 Patrol Dog Trial in Sterling Heights, Dax took top honors in overall patrol dog, cadaver detection, criminal apprehension, and agility and tracking, among other recognitions.
"Deputy John Forlenza and his four-legged partner, Dax, have done it yet again!" Sheriff John Idleburg said in the release. "We are thrilled at the number of regional titles they bring home to Lake County.
"Only about one in 500 canines typically earn the Tracking Exceptional Certification and it's been 12 years since the last time a Region 19 canine achieved this challenging certification. Those tracking skills were highlighted on their first shift back."