Here's a link to read a story about the death of a Kansas drug dog left in the car with back windows down, front windows cracked and the dog had water. Be careful this summer!

http://www.hutchnews.com/days/thursday/region/region1.html

Pam

I think that depts that have any dogs should have some kind of kenneling/crating facility so dogs don't have to be left in cars. A kennel or crate inside is sure a lot cheaper than replacing an
8,000$ dog.

Very sad incident for all involved. Lets hope a lesson has been learned so that this tragic accident never happens again.

Let Us Not Forget!

Extremely sad. However, I do have an issue with leaving a dog in a car simply because if one takes it into the police station with you, it'll get petted and 'it's supposed to be a tool'.

I'm asking this in order to learn, but that doesn't seem very sound to me. Wouldn't it be better for dogs to come in with their handlers all the time so that people in the station get used to them and don't make a fuss? It'll certainly beat leaving them in a car -- you only have to be wrong or too busy, etc, once for tragedy to strike.

Curious,

Dei.

I think Tiggy has the right idea here... kennel in the building for the K-9's... how easy could that be done...very simple cheap solution... but of course most car related deaths do not occur at the station...

I think that's messed up he was asked to resign, or get fired for that... what's up with that?

Unfortunately, the vast majority of those involved in the decision making process regarding policies and procedures for LE canines simply are not "dog people". The chances are very good, in fact, that some will strongly dislike dogs and/or will harbor resentments over Canine funding, publicity, etc.

Chances are that the "leave the dog in the car" policy was set by the chief or some other high-ranking officer because he/she did not like dog hair getting on the floor or thought the dog smelled bad, or some such thing. In addition, it is a good bet that this kid...a new handler...never received good information or any real training in what to do...or not do...with this dog.

The politicians were probably following the lead of the chief at the council meeting. They ALL, for damn sure, needed a scapegoat to explain why they allowed $8000 worth of dog paid for with "community contributions" to die in a car. The easiest way to CYA is to dump the blame somewhere else...the kid is low man on the pole.

Yep...this is f***ed-up, but crap like this is (correct me if I'm wrong here ED) a large part of why Ed started this site.

So many officers out there do NOT have the benefit of the Kevin Sheldahls, or DFrosts, or Donn Yarnalls, etc. to train, offer advice based on hard-earned experience, and "run interference" for them with their chain of command...up to and including the city council. This board may well be, for them, one of the very few places they can have access to such things.

Heat can, and will, kill quickly. The dog is always in a fur coat and cannot sweat...remember that.

Don't know if you guys have heard of this horror story but there was a woman here in the UK(a Crufts Judge) who decided to leave her husband and take all her dogs with her in a hire van.
I believe there were 17 Newfoundlands in the van and when she stopped at a service station a short while later most were dying or dead. It really made me mad.
She was prosecuted and banned from judging and also I believe from keeping animals for 5 years.
Dogs can't sweat and even the shortest time in a closed vehicle can be hell on earth for them