A Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office K9 that made a career of sniffing out drugs is taking a breather.
Axa, a seven-year-old Dutch Shepard, is retiring after five and a half years with MCSO. Today the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to transfer ownership of the dog to Detention Officer Dustin Denning.
"It is sad to retire such an industrious canine partner,” said Denning. “I am thankful the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and the Board of Supervisors allowed me to adopt her and entrusted me with her care. Axa will live out her years in retirement happy and loved.”
In her time with MCSO, Axa found an untold amount of narcotics within the county jail system. She also proved adept at protecting her colleagues. In August of 2017, Axa assisted District 3 deputies in apprehending a suspect who was assaulting a deputy.
Axa is being retired because she has developed arthritis in her jaw. As a result, Axa has developed temporomandibular (TMJ lock jaw) which makes it so painful for her to bite down that she can no longer apply pressure to her bite.
Axa is one of several Sheriff’s Office K9’s that will be retired in 2018. Transfer of ownership from the county to an individual requires a unanimous vote by the Board of Supervisors.