No details but apparently 'left in vehicle' overnight after shift change. Sounds like local authorities are 'investigating' (AKA getting their story straight) since causing harm or death to a police dog is a felony even for a cop.
Police dog dead under questionable circumstances
- Thread starter Mobuck
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I'm not understanding how any handler could've simply left a K9 in a vehicle overnight & 'forgot' the dog was still in the vehicle. All K9's require daily as well as evening maintenance & interaction with the handler. Feeding, watering, grooming, escorts to the location designated for the K9's 'calls of Nature', etc.
Hopefully future information will reveal that it wasn't negligence on the part of the handler as implied & the media has once again, jumped the gun on causation & the facts of the matter......which has happened more times than we can all remember...... so I'll hold off on forming an opinion until everything sees the light of day.
Hopefully future information will reveal that it wasn't negligence on the part of the handler as implied & the media has once again, jumped the gun on causation & the facts of the matter......which has happened more times than we can all remember...... so I'll hold off on forming an opinion until everything sees the light of day.
People "forget" kids. It's believable. Still criminal.
XUSNORDIE
Single-Sixer
I've known and worked with several K9 Officers. My Son-N-Law is a current K9 Officer. All of them had an incredible bond with their partners, at times appearing to love their partner more than their own family.
Deferring research to my Son-N-Law for more info on this alleged incident.....
Deferring research to my Son-N-Law for more info on this alleged incident.....
Grouch Attack picked up a story on some social media type page and I found a more detailed story on 'Tactical S**t News' (not necessarily perfect sources). Initial report says Savannah MO (north of St Joseph) and the death occurred almost a week ago.
XUSNORDIE
Single-Sixer
So my Son-N-Law got back to me.....said it occurred recently in South Carolina, not many other details. K9 community is outraged. Most that will happen is the handler will lose his job after the investigation closes.
He said this isn't the only incident the K9 community has been aware of.........
The Officers I know, and have known in the past would never allow this to happen.....I would hate to see the outcome of them being put in a room alone with those that have.....
He said this isn't the only incident the K9 community has been aware of.........
The Officers I know, and have known in the past would never allow this to happen.....I would hate to see the outcome of them being put in a room alone with those that have.....
Savannah MO Police K9
While police did not share the circumstances surrounding Horus' death in the release, they confirmed to local station Fox 21 that the dog died after being left in a hot car. PEOPLE reached out to the Savannah Police Department for additional confirmation but did not immediately hear back.
RC44Mag
Buckeye
That's an unacceptable lack of information by the dept and the news dept 'covering' this mess. As a former GSD owner(knowing full well it likely isn't one) but the dogs used for these functions are incredibly intelligent and bonded with the officer and the family and will willingly give up their lives to save, protect a family member. To allow this tragic death to happen someone needs to be held accountable and really needs serious punishment. Yeah I guess I'm biased some on the topic because my X kept me from my Gunther for years then he died without me even knowing. Female dog. 
Hittman- I started this post before you posted the one above. I got sidetracked on the phone then came back and finished and didn't see yours till after I hit send.
Hittman- I started this post before you posted the one above. I got sidetracked on the phone then came back and finished and didn't see yours till after I hit send.
I have several good friends who are K9 officers and they are not happy over this story. I hate seeing any animal in an unattended vehicle. People who do this to an animal need some time in "The Box" ala Cool Hand Luke. Let them see how they like it in a hot place with no ventilation or water....
Lousy Cop, he/she should be charged and fired if true. Said story.
A while back I saw a similar story, but the dog was left in a vehicle with the a/c running. But it didn't run for long.
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Those are more the case of a parent, grandparent or sitter forgetting about the kid for a few hours when the adult wouldn't have normal interaction with the child, such as during the adult's work day when the kid is routinely at a sitter, in daycare or in kindergarten. A parent being mentally distracted while driving to work & forgetting to drop the child off at kindergarten, daycare or the babysitter, then parking , going inside their place of employment for the work day & not thinking about the child for hours, is understandable.
Many children fall asleep during car rides, so the child making no verbalizinion, due to being asleep, when the parent's destination was reached, & the parent had no stimulus to remind them that the kid was still aboard, is the most common way that these events unfold. I've been at 3 in my career in the heat of South FL. 1 lived, 2 were already deceased when the 911 call was made & they were of the worst experiences I've encountered, but none were intentional. A police handler suspected of leaving a K9 in a vehicle overnignt is not the same type of circumstance. The handler, as a normal part of the evening routine, has multiple ineractions with the K9 as I alluded to in my previous comment. That none of those interactions obviously would not have occurred if the K9 was still in the handler's vehicle, gives me pause to immediately believe that this report is completely accurate, since the situation of having no evening interaction would be so beyond the pale of any handler's nightly routines, that it's unlikely that it would've gone unnoticed by the handler or a family member. Forgetting ones kid in the car during the work day, when the parent normally has no contact during that time period, is understandable. Unforgivable, but understandable. Not having the normal, multiple interactions with one's K9, during the times that they normally occur, is not understandable & I wouldn't be surprised if this report of the event has been embellished or is just flat out incorrect. If it is completely accurate & the handler simply 'forgot' the dog, resulting in its death, then, yes..... punishment is of course in order. But as I originally commented, taking the report at face value as fact & blaming the handler simply based on that story, is not reasonable .....as that original report may turn out to be incorrect or embellished.
Also, in order for the criminal chrages you advocate for to be filed, the event must show evidence of being intentional, which I seriously doubt it was, even if the story proves to be correct. That any handler would purposefully commit this upon his or any other K9 is highly unlikely. How about waiting for all of the information to come out over the coming days or weeks before engaging in a rush to judgement?
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Busterswoodshop
Buckeye
This is not the first time a cop has left a dog in a hot car that died.
One was left in a car in Tucson a few years ago that died.
More than likely , they will say the AC quit working.
That is what they usually come up with.
One was left in a car in Tucson a few years ago that died.
More than likely , they will say the AC quit working.
That is what they usually come up with.
However this plays out, it will not be a good look for anyone involved. Some communities have funded well above their capabilities to provide K9 support for their local LEO agencies but it won't take many of these 'incidents' to shut that down.
For those who might think I'm not a fan of LEO or K9 partners in general: I have a friend who was the senior Deputy and K9 handler for a sort of local Sheriff's dept. Close enough that he asked me to be involved in assessing the response of his new K9 to GSR in an 'off duty' scenario. At random times I would meet the handler in a public location carrying a concealed handgun that had been fired ?? hours or days prior. The idea was to determine the dog's response to 'aged' GSR on a random individual in an off duty or non-search type interaction. Over the span of several weeks, the Deputy was able to assess the capabilities and consistency of response from this inexperienced dog.
For those who might think I'm not a fan of LEO or K9 partners in general: I have a friend who was the senior Deputy and K9 handler for a sort of local Sheriff's dept. Close enough that he asked me to be involved in assessing the response of his new K9 to GSR in an 'off duty' scenario. At random times I would meet the handler in a public location carrying a concealed handgun that had been fired ?? hours or days prior. The idea was to determine the dog's response to 'aged' GSR on a random individual in an off duty or non-search type interaction. Over the span of several weeks, the Deputy was able to assess the capabilities and consistency of response from this inexperienced dog.
That happened in meridian miss
XUSNORDIE
Single-Sixer
My apologies...OP was referring to a different incident than the recent one my Son-N-Law was referring to that occurred in South Carolina.
In that incident the K9 Officer was not able to maintain control of the K9, and a faulty leash broke and released the K9. The K9 ran into traffic and was struck/killed by a vehicle. Didn't get more details but it was poor procedure on the Officers part.
Apparently, as in anything, there are a lot of incidents in the K9 community that puts a bad light on some handlers. As he told me, some departments don't due diligence before selecting handlers or their training.
In that incident the K9 Officer was not able to maintain control of the K9, and a faulty leash broke and released the K9. The K9 ran into traffic and was struck/killed by a vehicle. Didn't get more details but it was poor procedure on the Officers part.
Apparently, as in anything, there are a lot of incidents in the K9 community that puts a bad light on some handlers. As he told me, some departments don't due diligence before selecting handlers or their training.
Colonialgirl
Hawkeye
I ALWAYS park in the shade, windows partially down and a full bowl of water for my canine companion; I walk a LONG WAY in the heat to get into the store and do my shopping.
I have to agree with some of the above replies - Let's wait until we have all the facts before passing judgement. Just because the left believes in Guilty until proven innocent, I still believe it is supposed to be Innocent until proven guilty.
spud711
Bearcat
My nephew trained K-9's and handlers when he was in the Navy. Their K9-s are just like their kids. They eat and drink first.
XUSNORDIE
Single-Sixer
Agreed...I knew both Military and LE K9 teams. I believe the LE handlers were a bit closer as their partner came home with them every night vs being kenneled when off shift.
My Son-N-Laws dog is incredible. Plays with my 3yr old Grandson and their other dogs so gently.....yet I've seen video of him in action. Hard to believe a highly trained "tool" can show the same affection as a typical "pet".....but they are far from a typical pet.
