08/07/2026
UPDATE ON K9 ACE 💙🐾
We have an update on Polk County Sheriff’s Office K9 Ace following the critical gunshot wound he suffered in the line of duty last night.
Ace underwent surgery today, and we are thankful to report that the surgery went well and he is currently in stable condition.
Unfortunately, the damage to Ace’s front left leg was too severe to save. The gunshot shattered the leg and caused significant arterial damage and blood loss, and ultimately his front left leg had to be amputated.
While this certainly wasn’t the outcome anyone hoped for, Ace is alive today because of an incredible chain of people who refused to let him down, from the deputies on scene who immediately got him help, to the emergency veterinary team who stabilized him, the TGH Aeromed crew who transported him by helicopter, and the veterinary specialists who cared for him and performed his surgery.
And through it all, Ace’s partner, Deputy Natalie Oestreich, has remained by his side. That bond between handler and K9 doesn’t end when the call is over. It’s a partnership built through countless hours of training, work, trust and service, and in moments like this, you see exactly what that bond means.
Ace has served the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and his community since 2020. Now it’s his turn to recover, heal and begin the next chapter of his life.
Please continue to keep K9 Ace, Deputy Oestreich, and the entire Polk County Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit in your prayers. There is still a road of recovery ahead, but this tough boy has already shown just how much fight he has in him.
From all of us at K9s United, we’re pulling for you, Ace. 💙
Rest. Heal. Recover. You’ve earned it.
