PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. – A police dog sniffing for possible drugs in passenger luggage suffered a severe reaction Wednesday and the use of Narcan helped save its life, officials said.
Brevard County sheriff's spokesman Tod Goodyear told CBS News one of the agency's dogs was sniffing luggage of passengers boarding the Holy Ship music festival cruise leaving out of Port Canaveral.
He said the dog alerted to a bag where a powder was discovered, and a short time later, the dog began showing the effects of drug exposure.
Robert J. MacLean, with the U.S. Marshals Office, confirmed the incident. He said a crew member on board the ship supplied them with Narcan, an injection often given to humans who overdose on heroin and other opioids.
Federal agents at Port Canaveral do not carry Narcan, according to MacLean. He said that is a problem, as agents can also be exposed to unknown substances or drugs.
Goodyear said the dog was taken to a veterinarian, and is now stable. He said it appeared the powder the dog was exposed to was ecstasy.
BCSO said last year's Holy Ship cruise resulted in nearly two dozen arrests for drug possession, and so far, there have been about a dozen more this year.
The ship is currently out at sea, and it will return to Port Canaveral on Saturday.