With sad news, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office is informing the public that K-9 Rex has passed away today (2/8/2026). K-9 Rex recently became very ill and was diagnosed with Lyme disease and was in kidney failure. To relieve K-9 Rex from suffering, the decision was made to put Rex down.
K-9 Rex was a 7-year-old Belgian Malinois/German Shepard mix and has been a member of the Polk County Sheriff’s since 2021. K-9 Rex worked and lived with his handler Sgt. Ben Stout. K-9 Rex was a valuable asset with the Sheriff’s Office and for the residents of Polk County. He was trained in narcotic detection, apprehension, and tracking. “Thank you K-9 Rex for your service,” said Polk County Sheriff Jim Tadman. “You will be missed.”
