BROWN COUNTY, IN – October 8, 2025:
A police K9 who once survived on chicken nuggets tossed from car windows is now being praised as a hero after helping locate two lost children in the dense woods of Hoosier National Forest.
Knox, a former stray rescued by the nonprofit Redemption Ranch K9, tracked and helped recover two 11-year-olds who had become separated from their mother near Sundance Lake on Sunday evening. The Brown County Sheriff’s Office, along with multiple responding agencies, launched an immediate search – but it was Knox’s nose that led rescuers 550 yards through thick forest directly to the missing kids.
“He’s not just a working dog. He’s living proof that second chances save lives,” said Officer Rob Prichard, founder of Redemption Ranch K9.
The Backstory: From Shelter Stray to Life-Saving K9
Just over a year ago, Knox was found living in a field outside a Shelbyville truck stop, catching chicken nuggets tossed his way by kind-hearted truckers and dodging traffic. After being humanely trapped with a hamburger and taken to the Shelbyville/Shelby County Animal Shelter, staff quickly realized this high-energy dog was unlikely to thrive in a traditional home. They reached out to Redemption Ranch K9 Rescue and everything changed.
Redemption Ranch K9, based in Plainfield, Indiana, rescues high-drive dogs from shelters and trains them for police work. They provide trained, certified K9s at no cost to departments that can’t afford one, along with the dog’s equipment, initial vetting, and ongoing training.
“All Knox needed was a purpose. Now he’s protecting lives,” said Prichard.
Redemption Ranch K9: By the Numbers
Since launching in 2024, the organization has:
– Placed 12 working K9s with 11 law enforcement agencies
– Assisted in removing 200+ kilos of meth and 15 kilos of cocaine from Indiana communities
– Trained dogs for narcotics, gun detection, ballistics, tracking, and service work
– Operated entirely on public donations, grants, and volunteers
Knox is now assigned to the Brown County Sheriff’s Department, where he continues to train and serve.
