Surveillance video showed the police dog being struck by a vehicle after running from his handler Monday night.
MIAMI GARDENS, FL — Police continued searching Tuesday for a Miami Gardens Police Department K-9 that ran from a patrol vehicle during a business-alarm response and was later seen on surveillance video being struck by a vehicle.
The missing police dog, identified as Gael, disappeared at about 9:35 p.m. Monday in the 200 block of Northwest 195th Street, according to police. Officers had responded to a business alarm when Gael left the rear of a patrol vehicle and ran east across Northwest Second Avenue. His handler attempted to recall him, but police said Gael did not respond to the commands and kept running.
All available Miami Gardens police patrol units began searching for Gael, and the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit assisted from the air. Officers were unable to locate him during the initial search. The department later said investigators obtained surveillance footage showing Gael being struck by a vehicle after he ran from the area. Despite the impact, the dog continued traveling east, police said.
Gael’s condition remained unknown as the search continued. Police had not announced the extent of any injuries he may have suffered in the collision or disclosed where he was last seen after the impact. Officers continued canvassing neighborhoods and other areas east of where the K-9 disappeared.
Police described Gael as about 2½ years old, weighing between 55 and 65 pounds, with beige hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a black collar bearing the words “Mama says I’m special” when he disappeared, according to information released by the department.
The Miami Gardens Police Department’s K-9 teams are part of its Operations Division. The unit assists patrol officers with duties that can include locating suspects, conducting building and area searches and detecting narcotics or explosives. The department said its canine teams support police operations throughout the city.
The search drew a large law-enforcement presence around the area Monday night. A nearby resident told Local 10 that patrol vehicles repeatedly circled the neighborhood while a helicopter searched overhead for hours. Police continued their ground canvass Tuesday as investigators reviewed available information about Gael’s path after he was struck.
Authorities had not announced that Gael had been found as of the latest reports Tuesday. Miami Gardens police said the search remained active and asked anyone with information about the missing K-9 to contact the department.
Author note: Last updated September 9, 2026.