The public is rallying behind a Lynnwood police dog after he was recently diagnosed with cancer.

Lynnwood Police Department K-9 Earl — a 7-year-old German shepherd — was diagnosed with non-pigmented melanoma a few months ago, when a mass was discovered on his gums. Once word spread that Earl was facing costly medical expenses, community members were ready to help.

“We’ve had a huge outpouring of support from the public,” said Lynnwood Police Sgt. Joseph Dickinson, who is overseeing Earl’s treatment plan.

Earl is one of four police dogs assigned to the department, and Dickinson said that ensuring he receives the best available treatment to make a full recovery is the department’s top priority.

According to Dickinson, the cancer was caught in the early stages and Earl is currently undergoing immunotherapy. A portion of his treatments is covered by insurance that the department has for each police dog.

Depending on the treatment method, Dickinson said the department is looking at spending between $5,000 to $15,000. Should the treatment exceed $10,000, the department would need approval from City of Lynnwood officials to receive additional funding. In addition to insurance, Dickinson said that the department has a reserve set aside in the event a replacement dog is needed.

“We’re going to spend whatever it takes to get (Earl) healthy,” he said.

On average, Dickinson said a K-9 unit can cost the department between $8,000 and $9,000, and the added personnel time and training that goes into ensuring a dog is ready for duty can be upward of $90,000.

“Investment in these dogs is huge,” he said. “So it behooves us to keep the dogs happy and healthy.”

The department does not currently have any plans to replace Earl, though he may be taken off duty for the duration of his radiation treatments.

According to Dickinson, the department is continuing to explore different methods of treatment, but radiation is a likely next step and is anticipated to be the most expensive part of Earl’s care.

“We’re not excluding any possibilities because we want to take a holistic approach and get the best treatment available,” he said.

Though the department is accepting donations for dog purchases, training and equipment beyond the scope of departmental purchases, Dickinson stressed that they are not actively seeking donations for Earl. Any contributions made to the department would supplement the program that is already in place and be used to cover the initial cost of treatment while the department navigates the appropriate channels.

“Right now, the City of Lynnwood and the police department are covering all the costs of treatment to help extend the life of K-9 Earl,” he said.

Since Earl’s diagnosis was announced, Dickinson has been contacted by private pet owners whose dogs have been diagnosed with the same form of cancer Earl has.

“As I had hoped, there were other dogs in the community who had gone through similar circumstances and their owners shared alternative treatment options that were not known to us before,” he said.

The department is unable to set up a Go Fund Me for Earl at this time, but donations can be made to:

Lynnwood Police K-9 Unit
Attn: Sgt. J. Dickinson
Lynnwood Police Department
19321 44th Ave. W.
Lynnwood, WA 98036

Those wanting to make donations to another police K-9 charity can visit the Washington State Police Canine Association website and follow the WSPCA Retired Police Dog Medical Fund link in the upper right hand corner. The fund also helps police dogs by offsetting out of pocket costs for non-routine treatment for retired police dogs.

— By Cody Sexton