Ty, a police K-9 seriously injured in the line of duty, is expected to make a full recovery thanks to rapid emergency response and advanced surgical care at the UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine.

The 8-year-old police dog with the Solano County Sheriff’s Office was stabbed multiple times on Tuesday, April 7 while apprehending a suspect after a vehicular pursuit that ended at Interstate 80 just east of Travis Boulevard in Fairfield.

Ty was deployed by Deputy Mike Ferrando, Ty’s handler for six years, when the subject refused to surrender. The suspect reacted by stabbing Ty multiple times with a 4-inch blade. Despite this, the dog was not deterred.

“He’s stabbing the dog,” Ferrando heard another deputy yell before running up and pulling the wounded Ty off the suspect.

“He probably saved Ty’s life,” Ferrando said.

Ferrando rushed Ty to a nearby veterinary clinic for initial stabilization before the dog was transferred to the UC Davis veterinary hospital for specialized care amid concerns that the injuries could involve critical structures such as the esophagus or spine.

At UC Davis, a multidisciplinary veterinary team led by assistant professor and soft tissue surgeon Dr. Max Latifi performed an urgent surgical exploration to assess the extent of the injuries.

“In cases like this, the wounds can be more extensive beneath the surface than they appear,” said Latifi, an assistant professor of soft tissue surgery. “We identified multiple stab wounds that tracked deeper into the tissue, requiring careful exploration, cleaning and removal of damaged tissue to reduce the risk of infection and ensure proper healing.”

Latifi emphasized that timing is critical in traumatic injuries.

“The sooner we can treat these wounds, the better the outcome,” Latifi said. “After roughly six hours, wounds are at high risk of infection, which can complicate and hinder treatment. In this case, the quick actions by first responders and the initial veterinary team played a key role in Ty’s recovery.”

Surgeons were able to fully explore and repair Ty’s injuries in a single procedure. No life-threatening damage to critical structures was found, and his prognosis is excellent. He is expected to return to full duty following a short recovery period.

The care was provided at no cost to the agency by the UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine’s Faithful Partner Compassionate Care Fund, a donor-supported fund that helps ensure that police and service animals receive advanced, lifesaving treatment when injured in the line of duty.

For Ferrando, Ty is more than a partner.

“He’s part of the family,” Ferrando said. “He lives with us, he’s around my kids — he’s a great dog. When it’s time to work, he’s all business, but at home he’s just one of us.”

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