NYPD Detective Uses Narcan to Save Drug-Sniffing Dog Mulk

Detective Katherine Gill watched in horror as Mulk, her six-year-old canine partner, suddenly couldn't walk, her ears pinned back and pupils shrunk to pinpoints. Minutes earlier, the German Shepherd had just helped bust a massive fentanyl operation in the Bronx.

Mulk had been doing what she does best. She sniffed a doorway and alerted the Drug Enforcement Task Force to drugs inside, giving them probable cause to enter. After the team went in, Gill took Mulk back to their vehicle to wait.

That's when everything went wrong. When Gill checked on her partner, Mulk wasn't responding to commands. Her hind legs had stopped working completely.

Gill recognized the signs immediately. The powder fentanyl had likely become airborne, and Mulk had overdosed just from breathing near the door.

The detective grabbed Narcan, the same nasal spray used to save overdosing humans. She carefully covered one of Mulk's nostrils and sprayed the medication into the other. "I was a little bit panicked," Gill admitted. "She's my partner. Her health obviously takes precedence over everything."

Within two minutes, Mulk's ears perked up. She could walk again. She responded to Gill's voice like nothing had happened.

Sunny's Take

This rescue hit different because Gill and Mulk aren't just coworkers. They're roommates, spending 24 hours a day together since graduating from the K9 academy as a team. "She's with me more than my children, honestly," Gill said.

Their bond goes beyond the impressive stats. Mulk has found more than 300 kilos of drugs in her career, including 120 kilos in 2024 alone. But when she's off duty, she's just a dog who loves her tennis ball.

The duo learned each other's personalities, temperaments, and quirks while training together. They figured out how to read each other's signals and work as one unit. That deep connection is exactly what saved Mulk's life that day.

Gill knew her partner well enough to spot the subtle signs of distress. She had the training and tools ready. And she stayed calm enough under pressure to act fast.

Today, Mulk shows no lasting effects from the overdose. She's back to doing what she loves: keeping dangerous drugs off the streets and playing with her favorite tennis ball whenever she gets the chance.