Tampa PD Officer saves Retired K-9 partner from near-fatal emergency after retirement
TAMPA, Fla. — After a retired Police Department K-9 suffered a near-fatal emergency, his handler and partner on the force, who currently serves, rushed to save his life.
Officer Keith Padellaro adopted his K-9 partner named Xavier, a male German Shepherd/Belgian Malinois mix, after Xavier’s retirement in 2022. Xavier served as a dual-purpose patrol and bomb detection dog until his retirement. Padellaro says Xavier served with honor and was responsible for numerous heroic accomplishments during his career.
But on June 20, Xavier, now age 9, suffered a horrible emergency and was rushed The Veterinary Emergency Group of Tampa.
Xavier had developed a critical condition called Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus, or more commonly referred to as bloat. During the emergency Xavier’s stomach had flipped over inside his abdominal cavity, cutting off circulation throughout the body and preventing blood from returning to the heart. Without immediate treatment, the condition is 100 percent fatal.
Acting fast to save his partner and friend of nearly a decade, Padellaro rushed Xavier in for emergency surgery. After Xavier was treated for bloat, and after his spleen was removed, he remained in critical condition for two days , but is now on the road to a full recovery.
“I am continually amazed by the care and empathy our officers extend to members of the community each day,” said Brandon Barclay, President of the Tampa Police Benevolent Association. “Every day on the job, their first instinct is to help. I’m not surprised at all to see the lengths Officer Padellaro went to in order to save Xavier’s life.”
However, Barclay said, Officer Padellaro racked up extensive bills for Xavier’s life-saving surgery, and Barclay is asking for members of the community to help the officer out.
Xavier’s surgery cost $9,300, which Officer Padellaro paid for out of his own pocket.
“If anyone is interested in donating to help Officer Padellaro with the costs of Xavier’s care, they can donate by giving to the Tampa Police Benevolent Association at tampapba.org or by visiting the GoFundMe page, which was created to help offset the costs of Xavier’s surgery.
About: The Tampa Police Benevolent Association:
The mission of the Tampa Police Benevolent Association is to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and of the State of Florida; to promote social, charitable, and educational activities; to ensure fidelity to duty under all conditions; to instill a spirit of benevolence, good will, integrity, and mutual respect among our members and the people we serve; to provide for the wellbeing of our members and their families; to promote and sustain fair and equitable treatment of its members; to provide assistance, protection, and support to members who have been treated unfairly; to prevent unfair labor practices; and to maintain the best possible working conditions and benefits for all members of the organization through the collective bargaining process.