GROTON, MASS. (WHDH) - Police in Groton are asking for the public’s help as they work to identify a driver who struck a K9 near the department’s headquarters, seriously injuring the police dog.
Officials with Groton PD said a search for a suspect was launched after K9 Bane was struck on Pleasant Street Wednesday afternoon around 4:50 p.m.
According to police, the motorist who struck Bane continued driving while several other people, including the person who reported the hit-and-run, stopped and rendered aid to the dog.
Authorities said Bane ended up suffering injuries that included a broken femur, dislocated hip, broken ribs and punctured lungs. As of Thursday afternoon, the K9 was in stable but serious condition at Tufts Animal Hospital.
Groton police are now asking anyone who has cameras in the area or had been traveling on Pleasant Street at the time of the incident contact Detective Andrew Davis at 978-448-5555 or at adavis@grotonma.gov.
Groton Deputy Police Chief Rachael Bielecki spoke to 7NEWS, in the meantime, saying the five-year-old Bane has spent most of his life serving the community alongside his handler as a search and rescue and narcotics dog.
In the midst of rush hour traffic, though, Bielecki said Bane made a beeline for the busy Pleasant Street. Bane, she said, may have been trying to chase another animal.
Bielecki said Pleasant Street where Bane was hit is a heavily trafficked street. If the driver in this crash had stopped, she continued, “It wouldn’t have been as big of a deal.”
Groton police in their statement thanked good Samaritans who did stop to help Bane.
One of the drivers in a subsequent text to 7NEWS said this was “a heart dropping situation to pull up to.”
“But I couldn’t just pass by or let other cars pass while the dog was going to that,” the driver, only identified by police as Matthew, said. “It was heart breaking and on my mind until I found out there was a good outcome and [Bane] will recover.”
Bane is now scheduled to undergo surgery next week.
While the police investigation into this incident continues, Bielecki said the community has rallied, already working to give Bane a warm welcome when he returns to work.
“My desk is full of dog toys,” Bielecki said. “It’s hilarious. It’s very cute.”
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