Melanoma cancer won’t keep Janesville police K9 Fred from tracking criminals and sniffing out drugs.
The department announced that their 5-year-old German Shepard/Belgian Malinois mix is still working on the streets as he receives treatments for the growth on his left hind paw.
Police say Fred started to develop a limp earlier this year, and he had a procedure earlier this month to remove a portion of the pad on his third toe, which tested positive for cancer.
The news release says the cancer hasn’t spread to other parts of his body, and it’s uncommon for dogs to develop cancer in their paws.
Specialists from Madison recommended a treatment plan of Melanoma vaccine shots, according to the release. Fred received four shots initially and will receive another every six months while they monitor the disease.
Police say a non-profit organization out of Madison called Czar’s Promise agreed to pay for all of Fred’s cancer treatments.
