Police dogs die in hot car

[thelace]

So tragic

Police dog handler faces prosecution over deaths of two German shepherds left in 116f car on hottest day of the year



Anger erupted last night over two police dogs that died after being left in a car by their handler on one of the hottest days of the year.
Animal lovers reacted with disbelief at the officer's apparent lack of common sense and seeming ignorance of the RSPCA's simple warning that 'a hot car can be a death trap for dogs'.
Animal welfare experts said it may have taken only 20 minutes for the pair of German Shepherds to be cooked alive with the temperature in the car soaring up to 47c (116f).

They had been left outside Nottinghamshire Police headquarters. Their handler, who has not been named but is described by colleagues as 'very experienced', has not been suspended.
But he has been interviewed by an RSPCA inspector and could be prosecuted under the Animal Welfare Act.

Those found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal face a maximum of six months in jail and a fine of up to £20,000.
The dogs, which lived at the handler's home, were found dead in his private car at 2.15pm on Tuesday - the hottest day in the area for three years with temperatures of 29.3c (85f). It is not known how long they were left in the car for.
The handler was on duty and had parked in the staff car park at the force's Sherwood Lodge HQ, near Arnold.

He was not at work yesterday, as colleagues laid floral tributes there to the dogs. The handler is believed to be on compassionate leave over the deaths.

The dogs were among 26 operational dogs whose job includes tracking down criminals and providing security at major events.
It takes nine weeks of training and costs more than £7,000 before they can go out on patrol.
The force referred the case to the Independent Police Complaints Commission. But an IPCC spokesman said: 'We have decided it is appropriate for this sad incident to be returned to the police force to carry out its own local investigation.'

Debbie Waller, chairman of the charity People And Dogs Together (PADS), said: 'You would have thought the police would have been taught how to properly look
after their dogs. I would expect a prosecution to be considered.

'Although this is not the kind of example the police will want to be setting, hopefully it will shock others into not doing the same thing.'
Scores of animal lovers from all over the world flooded the Daily Mail's website to express their disgust yesterday.
One wrote: 'As a former police dog handler I am appalled. My first care was to my dog and then myself.'
Another wrote: 'This is a shameful incident on two defenceless animals . . . what a cruel way for these two dogs to die.' A third wrote: 'One would think that the police would have more sense.'
The RSPCA described the deaths as 'tragic' and renewed its pleas to owners not to leave their pets in cars during a heatwave, adding that leaving a car window open or a bowl of water in the vehicle makes virtually no difference.

Its chief veterinary-adviser, Mark Evans, said: 'A hot car can be a death trap for dogs, it is as simple as that. Leaving your dog in a car, even on an average warm, even cloudy summer day, can put your pet at huge risk of suffering and even death.

'This is not a new warning, but sadly too many people still don't appreciate how dangerous it can be to leave a dog in a hot car, conservatory or caravan.'

The temperature in a car can rise to as much as 47c (116f) in less than an hour, he added.
An independent vet will carry out post-mortem tests to establish how the dogs died.
Peter Davies, Nottinghamshire's assistant chief constable, said: 'This is a tragic incident and we value the important work our police dogs carry out.'

He added that the force would be working closely with the RSPCA.

[print*model]

It has been and will always be my firm belief that people do this type of thing ON PURPOSE. When the weather gets hot, this is when you hear of these so-called "accidents".

Here in the US, we are now beginning to hear of cases where people have been leaving their babies in hot cars and killing them as a result. Up to now, the weather here has been on the cooler side. Not too hot. I've literally been waiting to see when this type of thing would start happening and now, it's begun.

Isn't it odd that you never (at least not in this country) hear of animals and children being left in cars when the weather is COLD?!

He is disgusting and I hope he gets locked up.

[oscarcat729]

Originally Posted by print*model

It has been and will always be my firm belief that people do this type of thing ON PURPOSE.

Why on earth would someone consciously do this? Why don't you believe it was an accident?

And we don't hear about people leaving animals/kids in cars in winter because they don't die that way.

[print*model]

Originally Posted by oscarcat729

Why on earth would someone consciously do this? Why don't you believe it was an accident? And we don't hear about people leaving animals/kids in cars in winter because they don't die that way.

I believe that no one in their right mind "accidentally" leaves their pet or child in a hot car. I believe that some people are actually crazy and do it to kill them. I also believe there are those who do this sort of thing, not because they are intentional murderers, but because they are extremely irresponsible. Like the lady who left her small baby in a shopping center parking lot last summer less than 10 miles from where I live. She told the police that since the baby was sleeping, she thought she would just leave her sleeping in the car while she shopped at Whole Foods and Chico's. Thank God the baby was fine.

Regardless of whether the mother is a murderer who didn't get away with it or just incredibly stupid, selfish and careless - it was done on purpose. No accident.

And yes, people and animals alike can freeze to death in cars.

[Loquita]

This story horrifies and angers me to no end.

Poor, poor dogs. They worked so hard all of their lives and are trained to help people but then this is how they are repaid? I hope at the very least that they suffered as little as possible and that they get a decent burial. I agree that the officers who did this deserve to be punished, and severely. Two ounces of common sense will tell you not to leave any sentient being in a very hot parked car for any amount of time.

[oscarcat729]

Originally Posted by print*model

I believe that no one in their right mind "accidentally" leaves their pet or child in a hot car. I believe that some people are actually crazy and do it to kill them. I also believe there are those who do this sort of thing, not because they are intentional murderers, but because they are extremely irresponsible. Like the lady who left her small baby in a shopping center parking lot last summer less than 10 miles from where I live. She told the police that since the baby was sleeping, she thought she would just leave her sleeping in the car while she shopped at Whole Foods and Chico's. Thank God the baby was fine. Regardless of whether the mother is a murderer who didn't get away with it or just incredibly stupid, selfish and careless - it was done on purpose. No accident. And yes, people and animals alike can freeze to death in cars.

If someone leaves a living thing in a car they are exactly what you said-- irresponsible. But their irresponsibility doesn't mean they did it intentionally. Those are two entirely different things. I may have forgotten to take my sunglasses to the mall with me today. Though I did this out of my own irresponsibility/absent-mindedness, I didn't do it on purpose!

And it takes longer for living things to perish in a cold car than in a hot one. Therefore, the person at fault discovers the mistake before the thing is dead, therefore there's no news story, therefore you don't hear about it.

[print*model]

Originally Posted by oscarcat729

If someone leaves a living thing in a car they are exactly what you said-- irresponsible. But their irresponsibility doesn't mean they did it intentionally. Those are two entirely different things. I may have forgotten to take my sunglasses to the mall with me today. Though I did this out of my own irresponsibility/absent-mindedness, I didn't do it on purpose! And it takes longer for living things to perish in a cold car than in a hot one. Therefore, the person at fault discovers the mistake before the thing is dead, therefore there's no news story, therefore you don't hear about it.

I understand that you have an entirely different point of view but sunglasses and a living child or pet are two totally different things and you can't go to prison for leaving your sunglasses in the car. People seem to take more responsiblity for their cell phones and sunglasses than they do for their children or pets.

I also understand that you see things differently as regards leaving a living thing in a freezing cold car. I'm well aware that it takes much longer to freeze in a cold car than to boil in a hot one. But where you see this type of thing as a mistake that is realized before the thing is dead, I see it as a situation where it's then more difficult to come up with an alibi due to the length of time involved before actual death occurs.

Again, just two different points of view.

[oscarcat729]

^^^ I know, I was just commenting on how you said we never hear about these cases in the winter. That's because the kids/animals don't die, therefore the authorities aren't called and it doesn't become public knowledge. That's why we don't hear about that in the winter. I'm sure just as many people do it (non-intentionally), though.

EDIT: and I wasn't saying sunglasses=a life, I was just trying to find a simpler example to show how accidents happen, no matter the importance of the thing lost or forgotten.

[boomie]

It's horrible...but I don't think it was intentional :(

[pollinilove]

i agree look yates killed her kids and smith killed there kids and went to prison. so people do kill there kids

Originally Posted by print*model

I believe that no one in their right mind "accidentally" leaves their pet or child in a hot car. I believe that some people are actually crazy and do it to kill them. I also believe there are those who do this sort of thing, not because they are intentional murderers, but because they are extremely irresponsible. Like the lady who left her small baby in a shopping center parking lot last summer less than 10 miles from where I live. She told the police that since the baby was sleeping, she thought she would just leave her sleeping in the car while she shopped at Whole Foods and Chico's. Thank God the baby was fine. Regardless of whether the mother is a murderer who didn't get away with it or just incredibly stupid, selfish and careless - it was done on purpose. No accident. And yes, people and animals alike can freeze to death in cars.

[superBag]

poor doggies.. =( =( =(

[LV-PRADAfanatic]

i hope thye will NEVER get to handle dogs again

[Rockysmom]

I think we need better laws to prevent leaving kids and animals in cars regardless of what time of year it is. It's too easy for some of these irresponsible fools to think oh, it's not that hot outside. They have no idea how the inside of a car turns into an oven in a matter of minutes. I only know because I have sat inside a hot car on a cool day and thought, wow, my dogs would be cooking in here right now. I also NEVER leave my animals in the car because I am paranoid and think they will get stolen.

[bagaholic85]

i feel like this happened last year too...they went out to lunch and forgot about the dogs or something :( so sad

[JSH812]

This is awful. How sad.

But why a necropsy? I mean, the dogs died from heat stroke... Right?