K-9 Stabbing Prompts PETA to Call For Dog’s Retirement and Grand Rapids to Acquire a Robot Replacement

For Immediate Release:
June 2, 2026

Contact:
Andrew Grant 202-483-7382

Following reports that a K-9 named Digo was stabbed by a suspect in Grand Rapids on Saturday, PETA sent a letter today to Interim Chief of Police Joseph Trigg, urging him to retire Digo—and for the use of police dogs to be phased out and replaced with state-of-the-art policing technology, such as tactical robots, drones, and/or portable mass spectrometers. A growing number of law enforcement departments across the country now use tactical robots, which can be deployed in situations that could otherwise result in serious injury or death for both canine and human officers.

According to reports, the suspect threw a Molotov cocktail at a police cruiser and attempted an armed carjacking before stabbing Digo in the head. Additional marks on Digo’s vest indicate that the suspect apparently attempted to stab him several more times, and if not for the vest, those injuries could have been fatal. PETA notes that Grand Rapids Mayor David LaGrand previously raised concerns about the violence inherent in K-9 programs.

“Police officers choose to take on the daily risks of their duties, but dogs like Digo don’t have a choice,” says PETA Senior Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch.  “Digo suffered a violent attack, and PETA is urging the Grand Rapids Police Department to retire him and seize the opportunity to reassess its use of dogs who are then forced into life-threatening situations.”

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.

PETA’s letter to Trigg follows.

Joseph Trigg

Interim Chief of Police

Dear Chief Trigg:

I hope this message finds you well. I’m writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) regarding K-9 Digo, who was injured during a suspect pursuit. We understand that many K-9s are regarded as colleagues and members of their handlers’ families, and we wish him a speedy recovery. Given this incident, would you please retire this K-9 and consider this an opportunity to reassess the use of dogs?

Digo is not the only K-9 who has been injured in the line of duty, but he’s among the few who have survived. The day after the Grand Rapids K-9 was injured, a Chesterfield County Police K-9 in Virginia reportedly died from injuries sustained when a suspect opened fire on him and officers responding to a domestic violence call. Earlier this year, K-9 Sheik of the Wheeling Police Department in West Virginia died after she was struck by a car. A few months before Sheik died, K-9 Spike of the Burbank Police Department in California was fatally shot while pursuing a suspect who’d fled from a traffic stop. Earlier that year, K-9 Rebel of the Albuquerque Police Department in New Mexico was shot during a suspect pursuit and died a short time later at an emergency veterinary clinic. There certainly have been more fatal assaults against K-9s that weren’t reported publicly.

Unlike their human counterparts, K-9s do not sign up to risk their lives. They are loyal and protective, but they cannot consent to be used in violent encounters they did not cause or escalate. Veterinary experts and the U.S. military recognize that dogs, in addition to suffering the immediate physical pain and other effects of life-threatening injuries, can experience fear and anxiety from post-traumatic stress for the rest of their lives.

Will you please plan now to use state-of-the-art technology, such as tactical robots, drones, or portable mass spectrometers, which enhance safety and operational efficiency without risking anyone’s life, once your current K-9s have been retired? Your department may be able to secure grant funding for new technology through the Michigan State Police Grants and Community Services division, the DOJ Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), and the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. You might also find private or equipment-specific grant funding opportunities through PoliceGrantsHelp.com.

Thank you for your consideration and for all that you do to keep your community safe.

Most respectfully,

Allison Fandl

Manager of Special Projects

Cruelty Investigations Department | PETA