Palestine PD still searching for missing K9 officer

PALESTINE — The Palestine Police Department is still searching for a K9 officer who escaped from his enclosure after Sunday night’s storm. According to our news partner KETK, police K9 Hondo managed to escape from his handler’s enclosure in the Fort Houston addition area of Palestine. Hondo is not kept outside and was not outside during the time of the storm.

Despite the heat of the day, Palestine resident Justin Smith continued searching. “As soon as I saw the post, I threw my shoes on and got in my car and started driving around and see if I could find him,” Smith said. Smith is one of many Palestine residents looking to bring Hondo back home. “This is not just a dog, this is a police officer,” Smith said. “So I feel like as a community, we should be grouping together, try to help out any way we can, just like the police do for us.”

Smith is creating a social media page, hoping to coordinate people’s efforts and bring as many boots on the ground as possible.

“K9 Hondo is not just a police dog — he is a highly trained law enforcement partner and a beloved member of the Palestine Police Department,” police said. “We believe someone may have taken him in without realizing he is a working K9.”

Officials said Hondo is a German Shepard and microchipped. If anyone sees him, they are asked to call Palestine PD at 903-729-2254.