Hingham Community Comes Together For Injured Police K9

After a police K9 needed surgery to repair a torn ACL, the Hingham community has come together to help pay for the expensive medical costs.

Axel, a 7-year-old German Shepherd police dog was injured last month during training. After weeks of limping, the dog’s owner, officer James Foss decided the K9 would need surgery.

Since the word spread of Axel’s injury, the community has raised hundreds of dollars in donations through local fundraisers.

The most recent one has been started by the Hingham Shipyard’s new pizza restaurant, Stone Hearth Pizza Co. and Hingham Square’s Maggie’s Dog House.

The two businesses will hold,  “A Slice and a Scooby Snack,” a two-day campaign to assist the Hingham Police Department’s fundraising efforts. From June 18-19 from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. the businesses will be offering a $7 slice of Stone Hearth’s house-made Neapolitan style thin crust pizza and a handmade Maggie’s dog biscuit, with proceeds going to the HPD K9 fund for Axel. 

The pizza and biscuit can be purchased at Stone Hearth. Water bowls will be available on the patio to provide refreshment to canine clientele and slices of pizza can be customized, with toppings, for each customer making a donation, according to Courtney Palek who is assisting with the fundraiser.

Stone Hearth Pizza Co. and Maggie’s Dog House are just the most recent members of the community to help.

Recently, the Hingham Little League team, sponsored by HPD, raised $200 for Axel and presented to a check to Foss before their game.

At the recent Citizen Police Academy Graduation, Jimmy Davidson and Jennifer Sheelen presented Officer Foss with funds raised from wristbands  they sold for $4 each for the police dog. The bands are still available at the police office’s front desk.

The Blauer uniform company raised $500 for Axel, by donating $1 for each new Like on their Facebook page from June 1 through June 2 to support the dog's surgery. 

Bill Blauer, a Hingham resident and one of the company's owners, said he felt obligated to help because Axel and officer Foss were models in their company catalog a few years ago. 

Blauer will present the $500 check to the HPD later this week.

On June 1, the Hingham Police Department tweeted that Axel would need over seven weeks to recover before being cleared to return.