Beacon Health Transport team assists St. Joseph County Police K9 shot in line of duty

Melissa Wolf, in the red mask, helps Luna aboard the Beacon Health Transport ambulance.

Melissa Wolf knew time was of the essence.

The emergency medical technician pressed on the accelerator as she followed the police car in front of her.

Keeping a close eye on the two other police cars in the rearview mirror, she veered the ambulance onto the Indiana Toll Road and turned on the lights and sirens.

The noise startled the patient in the back of the ambulance. The patient’s ears perked up as she tried to sit up.

“No, lay back down. It’s not work,” Wolf heard the handler reassure the injured K9. With pressure bandages wrapped around her hind leg to stop the bleeding, Luna obeyed and laid back down to rest.

On the afternoon of Oct. 13, Dr. Keith Sherry, medical director of Beacon Health Transport, received a phone call about a gunshot victim requiring transfer between hospitals. Veterinary hospitals.

A police office and K9 Officer Luna were shot by a suspect fleeing law enforcement during a multi-agency manhunt in South Bend. St. Joseph County Police officials say Luna’s heroics prevented additional officers from being hurt.

Luna was initially rushed to Roseland Animal Hospital, where she was stabilized. Concerned the bullet may have nicked her femoral artery, Luna required transfer to North Central Veterinary Emergency Clinic in Westville, about 40 miles southwest of South Bend.

Injury to this main artery can result in rapid and profuse bleeding and death.

Beacon Health Transport primarily provides rapid transfer of critically ill or injured people between hospitals. The team had never assisted with the transport of a canine.

“We know police officers view the K9 as a member of the police force, equivalent to any other police officer,” Dr. Sherry explained. “I said if it was possible to do so, we’d make the transfer happen.”

He immediately reached out to Beacon Transport Operations Manager Steve Shedd.

“I have an unusual request,” Dr. Sherry said, proceeding to explain the situation and need for emergency assistance for Luna, who had only started actively serving on the St. Joseph County Police force in January.

With an ambulance nearby, and other vehicles available for any other emergencies, Shedd knew the team would be up to the task.

“Absolutely,” he told Dr. Sherry.

“Anyone who works in this business is ready to do what we need to do. We understood how much that K9 meant to the officers,” Shedd said. “They wanted to help one of their own in more of a medical environment if it was possible, as opposed to transporting her in the back seat of a police car. Our team wanted to honor this special request.”

That day, Adrienne Taylor, a paramedic, had been on a transport call with Wolf in the Roseland area. The two EMTs responded to the request right away.

“Everyone knows what a huge animal lover I am,” Wolf said.

Within several minutes, the team arrived at Roseland Animal Hospital, where several police officers stood outside to direct them into the parking lot.

Taylor and Wolf carried the cot from the ambulance inside the building and waited for the K9 in the Emergency Treatment area. Melissa remembers how it felt like eternity until the veterinarian came out with Luna. They carefully placed the dog on the cot and a put strap across her body to keep her still.

“I was happy to see her alert, breathing easy and the color of her gums was good,” Wolf said.

Taylor talked to the veterinarian and received medicine dosage calculations. “They are basically the same for a dog as they are for a human,” she said.

Luna had lost a lot of blood, so her leg was wrapped in pressure dressing. Taylor taped cardiac leads to her chest to monitor her heart rate and rhythm and wrapped a cuff around her front leg to monitor her blood pressure.

Looking around, Wolf noticed she didn’t have much space to back out.

“The officers told me they were closing the road for us,” she said. With the north- and southbound lanes stopped, the ambulance backed out onto 933 toward the Toll Road.

Taylor sat beside Luna in the back of the ambulance along with the K9 handler, as Wolf drove them via police escort — at speeds as high as 80 m.p.h. — to the Westville clinic.

Only once did her blood pressure drop enough that Taylor started to prepare the necessary fluids and medication. But before they could be administered, her vitals went back up. The rest of the ride to the veterinary clinic went very smoothly.

“Initially I was very nervous,” Taylor admitted, about stepping out of her comfort zone to care for a dog. “But she was gentle and sweet, much calmer than I expected.”

Luna has since had the bullet removed from her leg at Oak Knoll Veterinary Clinic in Rolling Prairie, and she is expected to make a full recovery. The entire Beacon Transport team feels honored to have been able to assist the county police department that day.

“It felt humbling to be able to do this,” Taylor said. “It was an honor to be able to help. I think Luna was probably one of my best patients.”

Wolf agreed.

“Those officers worried and cared about their partner. She was loved very much, that much was obvious,” Wolf said. “I felt proud to be asked to help out in this transport. Luna did her job that day, and we needed to do our part to help her.”