K-9’s Hot Car Death Prompts PETA Plea to Junction City Police: Replace Dogs With Technology

For Immediate Release:
July 10, 2026

Contact:
Sara Groves 202-483-7382

Following the death of Vethos, a K-9 who died after he was reportedly left unattended in a hot patrol vehicle on Monday, PETA sent a letter today to Junction City Police Chief Kirt Nichols, urging him to help protect other dogs by phasing out the use of K-9s. In the letter, PETA encourages the department to prevent future tragedies by replacing K-9s with state-of-the-art policing technology, such as tactical robots, drones, and portable mass spectrometers.

According to the Junction City Police Department, Vethos, a Belgian Malinois, was found unresponsive in a patrol vehicle, and preliminary findings indicate he died of heat exposure. According to weather reports, the temperature in Junction City reached about 90 degrees on Monday, which means the vehicle’s interior could have reached 109 degrees in just 10 minutes. His death is being investigated by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, and Vethos’s handler is on administrative leave pending the outcome.

“Vethos surely panicked as he couldn’t escape the heat and his organs shut down,” says PETA Senior Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. “K-9s deaths skyrocket every summer as dogs are left in hot cars and subjected to situations considered far too dangerous for human officers, and PETA is urging the Junction City Police Department to phase out its K-9 program and adopt innovative technology that helps police, protects the community, and keeps dogs safe.”

Vethos’s death is part of an ongoing epidemic affecting K-9s: Hot patrol cars are among the top causes of death for dogs used by police departments; many sustain fatal injuries in the field, and some even suffer abuse from their own handlers. PETA is calling on law enforcement agencies nationwide to end these preventable tragedies by retiring K-9 programs in favor of advanced technology.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.

PETA’s letter to Nichols follows.

July 10, 2026

Kirt Nichols

Chief of Police

Via e-mail

Dear Chief Nichols:

I hope this message finds you well. I’m writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) regarding the tragic death of K-9 Vethos in a hot patrol vehicle. Please accept our condolences during this difficult time.

We understand that his death is currently under investigation, and we hope that your agency will take all warranted internal disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. We strongly recommend implementing and enforcing standard operating procedures that prevent animals from being left unattended in vehicles. Given that no technology or procedure is guaranteed to protect dogs, we also urge you to phase out the use of dogs altogether.

Will you please plan now to use state-of-the-art technology, such as tactical robots, drones, or portable mass spectrometers, which enhance safety and operational efficiency without risking anyone’s life, once your current K-9s have been retired? Your department may be able to secure grant funding for new technology through the Kansas Governor’s Grants Program, the DOJ Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), and the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. You might also find private or equipment-specific grant funding opportunities through PoliceGrantsHelp.com.

Thank you for your consideration and for all that you do to keep your community safe.

Most respectfully,

Allison Fandl

Manager of Special Projects

Cruelty Investigations Department | PETA