When the Protectors Need Protecting: Cruelty to K-9s

Thousands of law-enforcement agencies across the country use working dogs called K-9s to help apprehend suspects, detect narcotics and explosives, and locate missing people. Although these dogs don’t sign up willingly, they do their best to please their handlers. K-9s deserve to be treated with the same respect as any other officers who put their lives on the line to protect their communities—but some agencies and training facilities still rely on cruel, abusive, and antiquated training methods instead of humane strategies with proven efficacy.

“I feel strongly that dogs should be treated with respect and this includes training them in a manner which puts their welfare above performance.”

—Guy Williams, Police Dog Trainer and Instructor

PETA works with and supports police departments all over the nation, often collaborating to investigate, charge, and prosecute animal abusers. We’ve directed campaigns at agencies and organizations across the U.S. in an effort to reduce the number of tragic deaths of K-9s in hot cars, and many officers have thanked us for looking out for their canine partners. We know that many—if not most—handlers truly respect and value their K-9s, whom they trust with their lives in dangerous situations. But some recently publicized cases show that certain handlers are violent toward their own partners, so PETA is asking agencies nationwide to reconsider using K-9s—or, at the very least, to ensure that their officers use only humane training and handling methods.

Caught in the Act: Officers on Video

Video footage recorded by a bystander shows what appears to be a Fayetteville, North Carolina, police officer abusing a K-9 in public on a Saturday afternoon in late June 2024. In the footage, the handler is seen holding the dog by the collar so that his front legs are off the ground while the officer punches him in the face at least three times with a closed fist. The handler then drags the dog by the collar toward a police car, and the K-9 turns his head and nips at the handler but doesn’t appear to make contact. The handler grabs the dog by the muzzle, forcing his mouth shut, then swings him around by the collar while still holding his mouth closed. The police department later released a statement about its internal investigation into the incident, putting the blame on the K-9 in an attempt to justify the handler’s actions, including punching the animal in the face at least seven times. PETA is calling for the K-9 to be removed from the abusive handler’s custody immediately, for the officer to be reassigned to duties that don’t involve interaction with animals, and for the agency to review and revise its policies so that it uses only humane training methods for K-9s.

The Richmond Hill, Georgia, police department received a complaint that a former Long County sheriff’s deputy, Matthew Christopher Ainsworth, had abused his county-assigned K-9, a male Belgian Malinois named Nero, while off duty and at home. Based on video evidence provided by the complainant, Richmond Hill police arrested Ainsworth in June 2024 for aggravated cruelty to animals. Although the video has not been released to the public, The Georgia Gazette released a description of it. Ainsworth allegedly had hit Nero with one hand, followed the dog as he ran away, and then hit him five more times with both hands. Ainsworth then allegedly grabbed him by the collar, picked him up “completely off the ground” from a prone position on the floor, held him in the air by the collar, and “threw him over his shoulder and slammed him into the ground.” Nero reportedly yelped in pain and struggled to get away, dragging his right hind leg until Ainsworth allegedly grabbed him by the collar again and put him into a crate. A witness reportedly yelled at Ainsworth to “stop hitting these dogs when you’re drunk!” and let Nero out of the crate. The dog allegedly limped away, yelping in distress, and the witness reportedly yelled about how the dog could not put pressure on his leg.

Through a public records request, PETA found no evidence that the Long County Sheriff’s Office had been aware of the incident or that Nero had been assessed by a veterinarian at the time. Ainsworth was later fired, reportedly for unrelated reasons. He went on to work for the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office until he was arrested and the agency reportedly fired him. Without a handler for Nero, Long County transferred the dog to the Georgia Southern Police Department, where he is reportedly doing well and has been working without issue since March 2024.

Old-School Tactics: No Excuse for Modern-Day Abuse

Methods considered standard for decades, such as throwing chains at dogs’ hindquarters, hitting them with leather belts, submerging their heads underwater, and “helicoptering” them—hanging them by the leash and spinning them in the air until they stagger around and vomit—are now rightfully considered cruel and ineffective.

“Some dogs could withstand being suspended by their neck longer than your arms could stand keeping them up there and then what do you do? Some people would walk over to the nearest fence and suspend the leash from that and hold the dog up. That would get carried away because now that you aren’t getting tired, and you’re a little ticked off, some people would succumb to the temptation to keep the dog up there longer.”

—Steve White, Expert K-9 Trainer

According to one study, these forceful handling techniques are more likely to yield negative results, rather than improving a dog’s “obedience.” According to an international symposium of veterinary and behavioral experts, dogs learn and maintain desirable behavior most effectively when they’re trained with a reward-based system—frightening or traumatic events and/or treatment frequently induce anxiety and even panic. Additional scientific research on working-dog training techniques indicates that dogs whose handlers subject them to aversive stimuli, such as pulling on a leash, hanging them by a collar, scolding them, and hitting them, didn’t perform as well in exercises and were more distracted.

According to expert K-9 trainer Deborah Palman of the Maine Warden Service, the advantages of not using force include less stress and fewer injuries for both dogs and handlers, increased dog and handler cooperation, time saved in training, less retraining in obedience work, and decreased aggression. Seattle-based expert trainer Steve White emphasizes that using positive reinforcement instead of force means that dogs will learn to trust their handlers, developing a stronger working relationship so that handlers—who, statistically, are involved in more gunfights than any other members of their departments—can count on their dogs to obey commands at critical moments.

People depend on their local police to keep their communities safe and are acutely aware of incidents of excessive police force—and studies have shown that those who are violent toward animals tend to be violent toward other humans as well.

Humane training methods protect both K-9s and the communities they serve. For more information, check out PETA’s factsheet. To request a print copy to share with your local law-enforcement agency, please e-mail [email protected].

Cases of K-9s Being Neglected, Abused, or Killed in the Line of Duty

May 2025/Calhoun County, South Carolina

According to local news reports, Calhoun County K-9 Angus was shot multiple times during a suspect pursuit. Angus was evidently shot as he initially tried to apprehend the suspect, who was apparently known to be armed and dangerous. He disengaged, came away from the suspect briefly, and then went after him again. Once Angus had apprehended the individual, deputies were able to handcuff the man. Then they realized the dog had sustained gunshot wounds to the chest and leg. Angus was rushed to a veterinary hospital and released the next day. The suspect was also shot during the exchange of gunfire and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

May 2025/Waco, Texas

Local news reports indicate that Waco Police Department K-9 Andor was shot by a suspect he was trying to apprehend. Officers rushed Andor to the nearest emergency veterinary clinic, where he was stabilized before being airlifted to Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital for specialized care. Andor was expected to make a full recovery.

May 2025/Bangor, Maine

According to news reports, a 3-year-old chocolate Labrador named Baxter, who “offered emotional support to Maine’s emergency dispatchers,” was found dead inside a Department of Public Safety vehicle. A department spokesperson said that the vehicle’s engine had stopped running and cut off the air conditioning. Temperatures that day reached 82 degrees in Bangor.

May 2025/Albuquerque, New Mexico

Local news reports indicate that Albuquerque Police Department K-9 Rebel, an 8-year-old Belgian Malinois, was shot during a suspect pursuit and died at an emergency veterinary clinic a short time later. According to reports, after police had released Rebel to apprehend a suspect, the man pulled out a handgun and officers opened fire. The suspect was reportedly killed in the exchange of gunfire. It is unclear whether Rebel was shot by the suspect or by officers.

April 2025/Roanoke, Virginia

According to local news station WSET, Roanoke Police Department K-9 Knox, a 3-year-old German shepherd, died after being struck by a police vehicle during a suspect pursuit. Officers were pursuing a vehicle they suspected was stolen when that vehicle became inoperable and its driver fled on foot. Apparently, at the same time Knox was released to apprehend the fleeing suspect, “an officer continued in his police vehicle and struck K-9 Knox.” The dog was rushed to an emergency vet and later died.  

April 2025/Mount Gilead, North Carolina

Local news station WSOC-TV reported that Wadesboro Police Department K-9 Blitz had died during a traffic stop incident that had begun in Wadesboro and escalated into a chase that ended in Mount Gilead. According to initial reports, Blitz was deployed to apprehend the suspect, who had fled on foot after the vehicle’s tires were blown out. Although local news reports alleged that Blitz was shot and killed by a Wadesboro police officer, Wadesboro officials have not released any details about the dog’s death. Upon learning of the incident, PETA sent letters to Wadesboro town officials and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office requesting an external investigation by the agency in whose jurisdiction Blitz had died. PETA never received a response to either letter.

During a town council meeting a week after Blitz died, the Wadesboro chief of police reportedly announced that Blitz had previously been with the Virginia State Police. The chief apparently stated that Virginia State Police had told him that Blitz had attacked trainers and handlers before the agency gave the dog to the North Carolina–based vendor, who then gave him to the Wadesboro Police Department. WSOC-TV reported that the Virginia State Police stated that Blitz had been trained in tracking, apprehension, and building searches but was removed from the agency’s patrol K-9 program for “unwarranted aggression issues.”

Nine days after Blitz died, the Wadesboro chief of police reportedly announced that no criminal charges would be filed in connection with the dog’s death. It’s unclear from the police department’s official statement whether there was only an internal investigation or whether an external investigation was formally conducted by any other agency. Blitz’s handler evidently told reporters that she had resigned from the police department in lieu of being terminated. Another Wadesboro police officer involved in the incident also reportedly resigned. PETA has filed public records requests with the town of Wadesboro and the Virginia State Police, and this page will be updated as more information becomes available.

March 2025/Scottsdale, Arizona

The Scottsdale Police Department announced that K-9 Rocco had been shot during an “officer-involved shooting” that killed a person suspected of threatening someone with a gun. The suspect had reportedly left the scene before officers arrived in response to a call for help, evaded an attempted traffic stop, then returned and parked behind a police vehicle. The suspect reportedly “failed to obey” police commands and allegedly reached for something inside his vehicle. Police reportedly deployed Rocco into the vehicle, and an officer fired his weapon, striking both the suspect and the K-9. Rocco was rushed to a veterinary hospital for treatment and released the following day. The suspect, 42-year-old Joseph Santos, reportedly died at the scene.

March 2025/McKinney, Texas

The McKinney Police Department announced that K-9 Azi, a 2-year-old Belgian Malinois, had been fatally injured during an “exchange of gunfire” between officers and a person suspected of shooting a woman at a Red Roof Inn. When police responded to the reported shooting, the suspect allegedly barricaded himself inside his hotel room and allegedly threatened to “shoot everyone.” After failed negotiations with police, the suspect reportedly left his hotel room, went down a staircase, and walked away from officers. Police sent Azi after him, the suspect reportedly “presented a firearm,” and officers opened fire at him. Both Azi and the suspect reportedly died. It’s not clear from the official statement who shot Azi. The police department has reportedly handed the investigation over to the Texas Rangers, and the name of the suspect has not been released. This page will be updated as more information becomes available.

February 2025/Portage Lake, Maine

Numerous local news outlets, including NECN, WMTW, and Bangor Daily News, reported that Maine State Police K-9 Preacher, a 4-year-old Belgian Malinois, was shot while pursuing a suspect fleeing an armed standoff. State troopers were assisting local deputies, who were responding to a domestic violence call—the type of call most likely to result in fatalities for responding officers. The woman who had called for help reportedly made it out of the house, but her 4-week-old baby was allegedly still inside. When law-enforcement officials attempted to take 29-year-old Steven Righini into custody, he allegedly barricaded himself in the house with the baby and at least two guns that he used to shoot at officers. After several hours of failed negotiations, Righini apparently attempted to flee. State police deployed Preacher to stop him, and he allegedly shot the dog in the abdomen. Officers returned fire and killed Righini. Preacher was rushed to an emergency veterinary clinic but succumbed to his injuries the next morning. A local deputy was also injured during the incident, treated at the hospital, and released. The baby was reportedly physically unharmed and reunited with the mother.

February 2025/Miami-Dade County, Florida

The sheriff of Miami-Dade County announced that K-9 Roxi, a narcotics detection dog, had died after she was injured during a suspect pursuit two days earlier. According to local news station WPLG, deputies had reportedly attempted a traffic stop on an alleged drug trafficker, who fled and allegedly “intentionally struck” the K-9 SUV carrying Roxi, causing the vehicle to crash into a concrete wall. The deputy inside the vehicle was reportedly treated and released on the scene while Roxi was rushed to an emergency veterinary hospital. Roxi was reportedly considered stable by the next day, but her condition worsened, and she eventually succumbed to her injuries. Roxi had been with the agency since 2017. All three individuals who were allegedly inside the suspect vehicle were arrested. The driver, 33-year-old Anthony Medina of Miami, was reportedly charged with aggravated battery against a law-enforcement officer, in addition to trafficking fentanyl, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, fleeing and eluding causing injury, possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, possession of THC, and resisting an officer with violence.

January 2025/Lewiston, Maine

A video recorded by a bystander during the execution of a search warrant quickly went viral on social media once viewers noticed that a Maine State Police trooper was apparently abusing a K-9. In the footage, the handler is seen pulling, lifting, and swinging—commonly called “helicoptering”—the dog by the leash attached to the collar around the animal’s neck. PETA sent a letter to the agency explaining that hanging a dog by the collar can lead to neck injuries, strangulation, pain, and distress. The letter also advised the agency to stop using K-9s if it could not treat them humanely.

January 2025/Las Vegas, Nevada

Several news outlets reported that 54-year-old James Harris, former handler of Clark County School District police K-9 Marley, was charged with two misdemeanors for confining an animal to a motor vehicle and failing to provide air, food, shelter, or water to the confined animal. Marley, a 5-year-old Labrador retriever, had died in November 2024. The police department announced at the time that he had “passed away unexpectedly,” but no further information was released about the cause of death. According to KSNV, the criminal complaint states that Harris allegedly “willfully and unlawfully” allowed Marley “to remain unattended in a parked or standing motor vehicle located at Foothill High School.” KLAS reported that Harris had allegedly left Marley unattended in the car for more than six hours after he’d disconnected the heat-alert system that would automatically roll down windows, turn on a fan, and set off an alarm if the temperature inside the vehicle became too warm for the dog. The necropsy reportedly determined that Marley had likely died from heat-related illness. Court records indicate that Harris’ arraignment is scheduled for March 25. This page will be updated as more information becomes available.

January 2025/Houston, Texas

Local news outlets reported that U.S. Marshals Office K-9 Rocky, a 1.5-year-old Belgian Malinois, was shot by a suspect he found hiding in a dumpster. Officers reportedly returned fire, and the suspect, who was wanted in the fatal shooting of a Brazoria County sheriff’s deputy, died at the scene. Rocky was taken by helicopter to a veterinary hospital for emergency treatment. At the time of publication, he was reportedly in stable condition. PETA sent the U.S. Marshals Service a letter asking it not to replace Rocky and to consider phasing out the use of K-9s.

January 2025/Vacaville, California

Local news outlet KCRA reported that Vacaville Police K-9 Murph was shot in the leg by a suspect he was apprehending. Murph was rushed to a nearby veterinary hospital, where his leg had to be amputated. The suspect was charged with allegedly harming a police dog, negligent discharge of a firearm, illegal possession of an assault weapon, criminal threats, and resisting arrest. Murph was reportedly expected to survive. PETA sent the agency a letter urging it not to replace Murph and to consider phasing out the use of K-9s.

January 2025/Falfurrias, Texas

According to a post made on social media by an alleged firsthand witness, a U.S. Border Patrol agent was seen kneeing her K-9 partner repeatedly. Footage of the incident appears to show the handler’s knee making forceful contact with the dog at least twice. When the witness tried to exit her vehicle to complain about the handler’s actions, agents reportedly told her that the dog was “choking” and that they “discipline dogs in their own ways.” Several news outlets picked up the story, and the chief patrol agent for the Rio Grande Valley Sector issued a statement saying, “We have made proper notifications to conduct a full investigation into this event.” PETA sent a letter to the agency requesting that it remove the dog from the handler, ensure that the incident will be investigated by a third party, and review training policies to ensure the humane treatment of K-9s. PETA also recommends phasing out the use of K-9s and replacing them with state-of-the-art technology to prevent animals from being harmed.

December 2024/Columbia, South Carolina

According to local news reports, Richland County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Bumi, a 4-year-old Belgian Malinois, was fatally shot while pursuing suspects who had allegedly stolen a vehicle. Bumi was reportedly wearing a bulletproof vest but sustained at least three gunshot wounds. About 12 hours later, law-enforcement officials reportedly found and arrested the 13-year-old shooter for alleged attempted murder and unlawful killing of a police dog, among other charges. Two other suspects involved in the incident, a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old, were also arrested. Earlier in 2024, Richland County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Kobe was shot while on duty and survived. After a brief return to duty, Kobe was reportedly retired as per the recommendation of veterinarians. Shortly after Kobe’s retirement, Richland County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Kodak reportedly became entangled in razor wire fencing that was hidden by brush and sustained severe injuries to his abdomen and a leg while tracking a suspect through a wooded area. His handler and another deputy were also reportedly injured as they freed the dog from the razor wire. Kodak underwent emergency surgery but later died.

December 2024/Coweta County, Georgia

Local news stations reported that Georgia Department of Public Safety K-9 Amor was shot while pursuing a suspect who had fled from a failed traffic stop. After Georgia State Patrol pulled the driver over for a traffic violation, he allegedly fled the scene and troopers attempted several PIT maneuvers to stop the vehicle. The chase ended in Grantville, where the suspect allegedly exited the vehicle and fired his weapon—later identified as an AR-15—at the troopers while running away. Amor was struck by gunfire and rushed to a veterinary hospital, where he was treated and soon released. The suspect, identified by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation as Ira Troy Williams, allegedly eluded capture.

December 2024/Valley, Nebraska

Local news station WOWT reported that a veterinarian had found that City of Valley Police Department K-9 Sonic had sustained “injuries consistent with neglect, malnutrition, and drastic weight loss” following a four-month stay in a kennel facility. The city had reportedly left Sonic in the kennel, which was not a full-service boarding facility, for months while it handled the appeals process for the termination of his handler. Professional police dog trainer and owner of the kennel facility Ed Van Buren reportedly said that he had told the mayor and chief of police repeatedly that Sonic was “going nuts” and needed to be removed from the kennel. According to Van Buren, who told WOWT that “working dogs do not belong in a kennel,” Sonic destroyed two kennel doors as he struggled with continuous confinement.

Earlier in the year, Sonic, a Belgian Malinois born in Holland, had reportedly been removed from his original handler, James Deemer, whose family he’d lived with for nearly three years. When Deemer retired, he asked to keep Sonic, but the city declined and transferred the triple-certified working dog to another officer. Before they even finished training as a K-9 team, Sonic’s new handler was reportedly fired and the dog was placed in the kennel. When the city finally removed Sonic from the kennel, he was reportedly placed in the custody of an officer who is not trained as a K-9 handler.

In response to community members’ concerns for Sonic’s well-being, the city stated that it planned to return Sonic to duty or sell him to another agency once he recovered. The mayor released an official statement claiming that Sonic is a “city asset” and likened him to a lawn mower. PETA sent a letter to city officials asking that they immediately retire Sonic and return him to Deemer. This page will be updated as new information becomes available.

Update (February 2025): After hearing from the public, city council members voted to let K-9 Sonic retire with his former handler. After enduring the stress and confusion of being torn away from everyone and everything he cared about, Sonic will finally be able to live as every dog deserves—in a safe and loving home.

November 2024/Laurel, Montana

On Thanksgiving, MTN News reported that a Laurel police officer responding to an early morning call for help had found a Belgian Malinois attacking an adult man in his yard. The Laurel Volunteer Fire Department chief also responded. Together, they reportedly attempted to stop the attack using “multiple non-lethal methods.” The dog allegedly continued to attack the man for about 15 minutes before the police officer “was forced to end the attack with two fatal blows to the animal’s head.” The dog was later identified as an active-duty K-9 for the Montana Highway Patrol. K-9 Mike had served the Patrol for nearly three years as a “full-service police utility dog” trained in narcotics detection, article search, area search, tracking, and apprehension. At the time of the attack, Mike was reportedly in the care of a different handler than usual. He had reportedly “freed himself from his kennel and subsequently bit a man doing yard work nearby.” The Laurel Police Department reportedly began a third-party investigation into the incident while the Patrol initiated an internal review to prevent such an attack from happening again.

November 2024/Madera, California

The Madera County Sheriff’s Office announced that a K-9 named Obie had been shot during a suspect pursuit. Deputies were chasing a vehicle reported as stolen when the suspect allegedly drove off the road and ran. As deputies and Obie pursued the suspect down a long driveway, the suspect allegedly shot at them with a shotgun, striking Obie. Deputies returned fire and struck the suspect. The suspect was airlifted to a Fresno hospital and is reportedly expected to make a full recovery. Obie was rushed to an emergency veterinary clinic, where radiographs reportedly showed that his body was riddled with shotgun pellets. Obie, a 2-year-old Dutch shepherd, is expected to make a full recovery after several days of hospitalization and an extensive rehabilitation period. The Madera Police Department is reportedly investigating this officer-involved shooting.

November 2024/Tombstone, Arizona

The Cochise County Sheriff’s Office announced that it was investigating an “officer-involved shooting” after a Tombstone Marshal’s Office deputy shot and killed his assigned K-9, a 2.5-year-old Belgian Malinois named Hawk. Deputy John Coby and Hawk were reportedly inside the agency’s headquarters when the dog bit the man’s leg. Coby allegedly could not get Hawk to let go and shot the animal, who died on the scene. Coby was airlifted to a Tucson hospital to treat his leg injuries and released later that day. Hawk’s remains were submitted for a necropsy. Coby reportedly remains on medical leave during the investigation. Although details of Hawk’s training were not immediately available, police dogs used to apprehend suspects are trained to “bite and hold,” a technique that usually results in serious injury, and dogs who are in a “highly aroused” state are known to bite excessively and fail to release on command.

Update (February 2025): Local news station KGUN reported that an investigation conducted by the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office found that Hawk had a history of “unprovoked” attacks on handlers while he was with the U.S. Border Patrol. According to the report, at least one person he attacked required surgery and hospitalization. The Border Patrol had apparently released Hawk to an unidentified third-party vendor, who was aware of his bite history. That vendor sold Hawk to another vendor, KnightWatch K9, but allegedly did not inform it of his bite history. When the Tombstone Marshal’s Office purchased Hawk, the agency was reportedly unaware of his bite history. The sheriff’s detective reportedly found nothing to indicate that Coby, Hawk’s handler at Tombstone, was ever abusive toward the dog. The attack was reportedly deemed unprovoked, and Coby was found justified in using deadly force against Hawk to protect himself. Coby and Hawk had just been certified as a team in drug detection the night before the tragic incident.

November 2024/Fairburn, Georgia

The Fairburn Police Department engaged the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to investigate an officer-involved shooting during which Coweta County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Titan was killed. When deputies in Coweta County attempted a traffic stop on the night of November 13, the driver allegedly refused to stop. Deputies pursued him into Fulton County, where they used a PIT maneuver to halt the car and notified local police about the incident. As officers and deputies, along with the K-9, approached the vehicle, the suspect allegedly shot at them with an AK pistol, allegedly injuring a deputy and fatally wounding Titan. Officers and deputies fired back, reportedly hitting and killing the man.

October 2024/Escambia County, Alabama

Local news station WKRG reported that an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office K-9 had been found dead inside a handler’s vehicle. After completing a night shift, the handler, a sheriff’s office deputy, reportedly left the dog in the car, went to sleep, and found the animal dead later in the day. The deputy was reportedly fired, and the investigation was ongoing. News reports indicated that the case would be presented to a grand jury for review. The names of the K-9 and the handler hadn’t yet been released.

October 2024/Mount Airy, North Carolina

According to WRAL News, Mount Airy Police Department K-9 Draco was shot and killed while chasing a suspect. The suspect, who was reportedly wanted in a double homicide case, was also fatally shot during the confrontation with police.

September 2024/Cleveland County, Oklahoma

The Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office announced that its contraband-detection dog, K-9 Dolar, had been found dead inside an agency vehicle while his handler was in training. According to local news reports, temperatures reached a record high that day of 99 degrees and over 130 inside a car. Dolar’s handler was reportedly placed on administrative leave, and the sheriff reportedly requested an investigation by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

August 2024/Prince George’s County, Maryland

According to a public statement released by the Prince George’s County Police Department, 18-year veteran Corporal David Acosta was arrested and charged with cruelty to animals in relation to his two assigned K-9s, bloodhound Daisy and Belgian Malinois Spartacus. Court records indicate that Acosta was charged with four misdemeanors and two felonies. News reports indicate that the dogs were found to have open wounds from the prongs of their shock collars. Investigators allegedly found that the dogs had been wearing the collars continuously for weeks and that the electrostatic shock function had been used frequently. Both dogs were reportedly treated for their injuries and reassigned to other handlers. Following the investigation, the department reportedly implemented new policies, with the goal of preventing such abuse from being inflicted on K-9s again.

Update (October 2024): Local news outlet WUSA9 reported that prosecutors had dropped charges against Acosta because the police department’s policies and protocols concerning the use of electronic shock collars are “vague, inconsistent, dangerous and flawed.” Prosecutors further stated that “[r]eports from other officers with the department indicated that their canines too, have suffered similar injuries and wounds because of the e-collar issued by the department. Simply put, the collar is problematic.” They recommended that the police department improve protocols and policies regarding the use of the collars and the handling of K-9s. PETA sent a letter asking the chief of police to remove all electronic shock collars from all department K-9s immediately, discontinue the use of the collars, and ensure that only humane handling and training methods be used or phase out the use of K-9s altogether.

July 2024/Arnold, Missouri

According to Fox2now.com, the Arnold Police Department is investigating the death of one of its K-9s from heat exhaustion. K-9 Vader was reportedly left unattended in a running vehicle for an undisclosed amount of time when its air conditioning malfunctioned and the heat alarm system failed to activate. The dog was reportedly treated at two veterinary clinics before it was determined that “no further treatments” could save him. PETA sent the chief of police a condolence letter, suggesting a policy that K-9s should never be left in vehicles unattended or else should no longer be used.

Update (September 2024): Local news source Leader Publications reported that the Arnold Police Department had completed its internal investigation into Vader’s death. Citing a Missouri statute related to administrative investigations, the department’s official statement noted that details of the investigation could only be released pending a subpoena, a court order, or a request from the state department of public safety. No further information was provided.

July 2024/Dorchester County, South Carolina

The Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office announced that a 5-year-old K-9 had been found dead in his handler’s vehicle. Anonymous complaints submitted to PETA alleged that the handler had left the dog in the patrol car without air conditioning for five hours and that he’d died of heatstroke. PETA found that in 2020, bystander video footage caught a Dorchester County sheriff’s deputy apparently striking a K-9 in the face during training. The agency claimed that the bite-trained dog had bitten the handler, who then “corrected” the dog. In 2012, a 1-year-old K-9 was reportedly found dead in his kennel from a suspected “congenital defect” that had also allegedly resulted in the death of a K-9 at the same agency in 2011. PETA sent a letter to the agency, suggesting the use of safety equipment to protect K-9s from hot weather and a policy never to leave them in vehicles unattended or else no longer using them at all.

Update (September 2024): Local media outlet FITSNews reported that although the name of the deceased K-9 hadn’t yet been publicly released, the handler had been identified as 40-year-old Brandon Edwards of North Charleston. According to official paperwork submitted to the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy, Edwards was demoted from master deputy to deputy, he was removed from the K-9 unit, and his pay was decreased as a result of “violating department policy” by leaving the dog unattended in his department-issued vehicle “without the temperature controls operating.”

Update (January 2025): Local news station WCBD reported that the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division investigation into the death of K-9 Orser had concluded and that the dog’s handler, Deputy Brandon Edwards, would not be criminally charged. FITSNews reported that it was submitting a FOIA request for records related to the investigation and the decision not to charge Edwards.

Update (February 2025): Local news station WCIV reported that a South Carolina Law Enforcement Division investigative report obtained through a public records request revealed more details about Orser’s death. On July 18, 2024, Edwards and another deputy were reportedly switching equipment between vehicles before their shifts. Orser was in the garage barking, so Edwards reportedly placed him inside the K-9 vehicle with the engine running. During this time, an errant golf ball from a nearby golf course apparently hit and shattered the window of this patrol car. The other deputy left, and Edwards allegedly shut off the engine of the K-9 vehicle with Orser still inside it. Edwards allegedly left the dog in the vehicle for approximately four hours. The vehicle was equipped with a heat-alert alarm system, but it was reportedly inactive because the engine was not running.

July 2024/Hampton County, South Carolina

A sheriff’s office K-9 named Leo was reportedly found dead by his handler in an outdoor kennel the morning after a thunderstorm. The dog, likely panicked by the weather, reportedly tried to escape from the enclosure but became stuck between the gate and a gate post, apparently resulting in death by suffocation. News reports indicated that Leo’s death was being investigated by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). According to WJCL, the same handler had found another K-9, a bloodhound named Levi, dead after he’d allegedly spent the night in subfreezing temperatures in an outdoor kennel in December 2022. PETA sent a letter to SLED requesting an investigation into Levi’s death as well as Leo’s.

July 2024/Dayton, Ohio

Video footage recorded by a bystander went viral for showing a Dayton Police Department officer apparently abusing a K-9. In the video, the handler is seen walking approximately 10 feet away from a person being apprehended by two other officers over to the dog, who is crouched and waiting in a “down” position. The man stands over and straddles the stationary K-9, grabs the dog’s collar with his left hand, winds up his right arm, and hits the animal forcefully in the head or face while holding the collar. Upon reviewing the footage, PETA rushed a letter to the department, requesting that the dog be removed from the handler’s custody, the handler be reassigned out of the K-9 unit, and the department engage an external agency to conduct an independent investigation into the incident. It also suggested that the department stop using K-9s if it would not commit to humane training and handling methods. Shortly after the letter was sent, the department released a public statement claiming that the handler had struck the K-9 for biting him. PETA responded with a statement reminding the department and the public that the dog simply did what he’d been trained to do.

July 2024/Wabash County, Illinois

The Wabash County Sheriff’s Office announced that a K-9 named Kiki had been found unresponsive and died. Her former handler, Deputy Chase Cheadle, was reportedly placed on paid administrative leave, and the sheriff apparently asked the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office to conduct an independent investigation, which led the Wabash County State’s Attorney’s Office to contact the Illinois State’s Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor’s Office for further review of the case. Less than a month after Kiki’s death, Cheadle reportedly resigned. In October, officials announced that he had been charged with four counts of official misconduct, one count of theft/deception, one count of cruelty to animals, and two counts of “animal owner duties.” No further details were provided about how Kiki had died.

Update (October 2024): Local radio station WSDJ reported that Cheadle was facing charges because he had allegedly placed Kiki in a life-threatening situation for a prolonged period of time in extreme heat, which resulted in her death. Cheadle also allegedly failed to provide Kiki with adequate shelter and protection from the weather.

Update (January 2025): Local radio station WFIW reported that during a preliminary hearing for Cheadle’s case, the special prosecutor and the defense attorney had informed the court that they were negotiating a potential settlement. The case was continued for another month.

July 2024/Coalinga, California

The Coalinga Police Department announced that a K-9 named Nitro had died after being found in distress in his outdoor kennel. Local ABC affiliate KFSN reported that the agency was conducting an internal investigation and awaiting a necropsy to determine the cause of death. Nitro, a 4-year-old German shepherd/Belgian Malinois mix, was reportedly kept in the outdoor kennel while off duty per agency policy. According to KFSN, Nitro hadn’t been on duty for several months while his handler was on medical leave. Two days before Nitro reportedly died, the National Weather Service released an “excessive heat warning” for the area, forecasting dangerous temperatures for more than a week. Official records indicate that the high temperature reached a record 114 degrees the day before Nitro died. PETA sent our condolences and asked the Coalinga Police Department to change its off-duty housing policy for K-9s in order to protect them from the weather or else stop using them altogether. We also recommended engaging an outside agency to investigate the incident. This page will be updated as more information becomes available.

July 2024/Madison County, Florida

The sheriff of Madison County, Florida, announced that a K-9 named Archer, a German shepherd, had died a day after becoming overheated while tracking a suspect who was fleeing on foot following a vehicle chase that had ended with a crash in the woods. Deputies successfully apprehended the offender after Archer located him, but the dog reportedly began to show signs of illness on the way back to the patrol car. The high temperature that day was 95 degrees. His handler reportedly rushed Archer to the nearest veterinary clinic, where he was stabilized before being transported via ambulance and deputy escort to an emergency hospital in Tallahassee. Despite all efforts to save his life, Archer reportedly died the following day, surrounded by his handler, fellow canine unit members, and medical staff. According to the undersheriff, his passing is considered a line-of-duty death. The suspect Archer assisted in apprehending was charged with—among other things—allegedly fleeing or eluding a law-enforcement officer at high speed and causing great harm to a “police animal.”

June 2024/San Joaquin County, California

The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office announced that a K-9 named Brando had died after he was found unresponsive while off duty. Following an investigation, the agency announced on September 10 that he had died from “heat-related injuries” after being pulled out of a handler’s vehicle. At the time of the incident, Brando’s regular handler was allegedly on vacation and the K-9 was reportedly in the custody of another handler, who allegedly put him inside a sheriff’s training vehicle with the air conditioner running. At some point, the air conditioning reportedly failed, and unlike patrol vehicles, the training vehicle was not equipped with a heat-alert alarm system. Brando was reportedly discovered by another deputy, who rushed him to an emergency veterinary clinic. Despite showing initial signs of recovery, Brando reportedly suffered a seizure overnight and died at the clinic.

June 2024/Richmond Hill, Georgia

The Richmond Hill Police Department received a complaint on June 4 that a former Long County sheriff’s deputy, Matthew Christopher Ainsworth, had allegedly abused his county-assigned K-9, a male Belgian Malinois named Nero, while off duty and at home on October 25, 2023. Based on video evidence provided by the complainant, Richmond Hill police arrested Ainsworth on June 6 for aggravated cruelty to animals.

No further details were available until July, when The Georgia Gazette released a description of the video. Ainsworth had allegedly hit Nero with one hand, followed the dog as he ran away, and then hit him five more times with both hands. Ainsworth then allegedly grabbed him by the collar, picked him up “completely off the ground” from a prone position on the floor, held him in the air by the collar, and “threw him over his shoulder and slammed him into the ground.” Nero reportedly yelped in pain and struggled to get away, dragging his right hind leg until Ainsworth allegedly grabbed him by the collar again and put him into a crate. A witness reportedly yelled at Ainsworth to “stop hitting these dogs when you’re drunk!” and let Nero out of the crate. The dog reportedly limped away, yelping in distress, and the witness reportedly yelled about how the dog could not put pressure on his leg.

Through a public records request, PETA found no evidence that the Long County Sheriff’s Office had been aware of the incident or that Nero had been assessed by a veterinarian at the time. Ainsworth was later fired for apparently unrelated reasons. He went on to work for the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office until he was arrested and the agency reportedly fired him. Without a handler for Nero, Long County transferred the dog to the Georgia Southern Police Department, where he is reportedly doing well and has been working without issue since March 2024.

June 2024/Fayetteville, North Carolina

Video footage recorded by a bystander shows what appears to be a Fayetteville, North Carolina, police officer abusing a K-9 in public on a Saturday afternoon in late June. In the footage, the handler is seen holding the dog by the collar so that his front legs are off the ground while the officer punches him in the face at least three times with a closed fist. The handler then drags the dog by the collar toward a police car, and the K-9 turns his head and nips at the handler but doesn’t appear to make contact. The handler grabs the dog by the muzzle, forcing his mouth shut, then swings him around by the collar while still holding his mouth closed. The agency released a statement saying that the incident “is being investigated by [its] internal affairs office.” PETA is calling for the K-9 to be removed from the abusive handler’s custody immediately, for the officer to be reassigned to duties that don’t involve interaction with animals, and for the agency to review and revise its policies to use only humane training methods for K-9s. This page will be updated as more information becomes available.

Update (July 2024): The police department released a statement about its internal investigation into the incident, putting the blame on the K-9 in an attempt to justify the handler’s actions, including punching the animal in the face at least seven times. PETA has called for the agency to release all footage of the incident and filed a request for public records pertaining to the care and training of the K-9 involved in the incident.

June 2024/West Union, West Virginia

Local news station WBOY reported that the West Union Police Department had charged the chief of the Pennsboro Police Department, Travis Ray Snuffer, with cruelty to animals for allegedly leaving a K-9 named Judge unattended in his police cruiser, which wasn’t running. The criminal complaint noted that “all the [vehicle’s] windows were up with no air conditioning” and that the outside temperature was “between 85 and 90 degrees with the hot sun beating down on the car.” West Union police reportedly broke a window to rescue Judge from the car. According to the news report, all the dogs in Snuffer’s custody were removed, including Judge and a retired K-9 named Dexter. On July 30, Snuffer pleaded guilty. An official sentencing hearing was scheduled for October. According to news reports, Snuffer will not be allowed to own or possess any animals for five years after the conviction.

June 2024/Savannah, Missouri

The Savannah Police Department confirmed to local media outlets that a K-9 named Horus had been found dead on June 20 after having been left in a hot car following an overnight shift. The county prosecutor’s office requested that the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigate this incident. Further details were not released until September 6, when the Missouri Attorney General’s Office announced that Horus’ handler, Lt. Daniel Zeigler, had been charged with a Class A misdemeanor of animal abuse. The state’s investigation reportedly found that after the team had completed their shift around 5 a.m., Zeigler allegedly left Horus in the patrol vehicle until about 6 p.m., when he found the young German shepherd dead inside the hot car. The high temperature that day was 88 degrees. Investigators tested the vehicle and its heat-alert alarm system, which proved to be in working order, leading them to conclude that Zeigler had deactivated the system manually and directly contributed to Horus’ death.

June 2024/Newberry County, South Carolina

The Newberry County Sheriff’s Office announced that local deputies working with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) were attempting to serve a felony warrant when the suspect, James Robert Peterson, allegedly shot SLED K-9 Coba, a 4-year-old Belgian Malinois mix. Peterson was reportedly hiding in his mother’s house, where Coba and his handler, along with a deputy sheriff, confronted him in a hallway. After Peterson allegedly shot Coba, the team returned fire. Coba was reportedly rushed to receive emergency veterinary care but died of his injuries. Peterson survived and was reportedly taken into custody on the felony charges. An outside agency was engaged to investigate the shooting and death of Coba. PETA sent our sincere condolences to those affected by the tragic loss and requested changes in SLED protocols to help protect K-9s from such fatal encounters.

April 2024/Sussex County, Virginia

The Associated Press reported that Virginia Department of Corrections K-9 Rivan, a 5-year-old Belgian Malinois, was killed after he was “violently and repeatedly stabbed and kicked” by inmates affiliated with MS-13. Three inmates had allegedly attacked another one, and Rivan and his handler were reportedly responding to try to stop the altercation. His handler reportedly sustained no serious physical injuries during the incident. The offenders were incarcerated for numerous violent offenses, including first-degree homicide, kidnapping/abduction, and malicious wounding. PETA wrote a letter to the Sussex County Commonwealth’s attorney requesting that the offenders receive the maximum allowable penalties for killing Rivan. We also wrote to the Virginia Department of Corrections—which reportedly deploys patrol dogs to attack incarcerated people exponentially more often than any other state prison system—asking the agency to stop using K-9s in prisons and reallocate funding to alternative methods of population management, including adequate human staffing, protective equipment, advanced monitoring equipment, and early detection and treatment for inmate mental-health issues.

February 2024/Dexter, Missouri

Local news station KBSI reported that a Dexter Police Department officer was on administrative leave after his assigned partner, a K-9 named Apollo, was found dead in his kennel. The department engaged the county sheriff’s office and the state highway patrol to conduct an independent investigation. According to KFVS and the Dexter Statesman, a necropsy found that Apollo, a Belgian Malinois younger than 2 years old, had reportedly lost nearly 40% of his bodyweight since his last visit to a veterinarian in September 2023, when he’d been declared a “perfect healthy police dog.” The necropsy report apparently indicated that he had pneumonia, which is reportedly common in dogs who are malnourished, and was “likely the final event that led to Apollo’s death.” The handler also reportedly had custody of a retired K-9 named Knox, who was allegedly evaluated by a veterinarian after Apollo’s death. Knox was allegedly found to have lost about 10 pounds since his last veterinary visit and reportedly had “severe heartworms and severely worn teeth.” On April 1, officer Derrick Durall was reportedly fired from the department, and on April 4 he was charged with two felony counts of animal abuse and two misdemeanor counts of animal neglect. Reports indicate that Durall had been injured in December and was working without Apollo at the time of the dog’s death. The Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office determined that the dogs’ suffering and Apollo’s death were the result of alleged “torture consciously inflicted by [Durall] while the animals were alive.” This page will be updated as more information regarding the case against Durall becomes available.

January 2024/Boise, Idaho

According to the Ada County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy confronted Jeremiah Gaver for “suspicious behavior.” Other deputies and Boise Police Department officers arrived on the scene, and the man allegedly “did not comply with multiple commands to show his hands and drop what he was holding.” Deputies reportedly shot the man with beanbag rounds and released a K-9 named Astrid. When Astrid bit him, Gaver allegedly stabbed the dog with a knife. Astrid let go, and officers reportedly shot at Gaver with both beanbag rounds and tasers. A local news report indicates that Astrid kept trying to apprehend Gaver but was struck by a beanbag round and became tangled in the taser wires. Gaver allegedly ran across the street and fell to the ground. Another deputy reportedly deployed another K-9, Meko, to bite Gaver while he was on the ground. Gaver allegedly stabbed Meko, and four deputies and one police officer opened fire. Gaver reportedly died at the scene, and the two K-9s were taken to an emergency animal hospital for treatment. Both dogs survived and returned to service after lengthy recoveries.

November 2023/Riverside County, California

A YouTube livestream caught a Riverside County sheriff’s deputy apparently abusing his K-9 partner during an encounter between law enforcement and a resident. The handler and dog have tentatively been identified as Deputy Shane Day and K-9 Owney. The video shows the handler holding the dog slightly off the ground by both the collar and the handle on the dog’s harness. The K-9—who appears to be stressed and overstimulated—rears his head back, nipping at the deputy’s right hand. The officer apparently reacts by lifting the flailing animal by the collar and harness up toward his own chest and slamming the dog’s entire body onto the ground, forcing him onto his side, while shouting “no.” He appears to lift the flailing K-9 back up, body suspended with rear paws barely touching the ground, and pull him back toward the rear of his vehicle. While the handler turns around, he appears to pull his right arm back, make a fist, and forcefully punch the dog in the head or face before putting him into the vehicle. This page will be updated as more information becomes available.

November 2023/Davis County, Utah

According to KSTU-TV (FOX 13), on November 9, Cpl. Timothy Robinson of the Davis County Sheriff’s Office was charged with a Class A misdemeanor for an incident that had occurred in August during a training exercise, when Robinson allegedly assaulted his K-9 partner in front of other law-enforcement officers. Witnesses stated that when K-9 Rolf began to urinate in the training room, Robinson pulled on his leash “aggressively” to yank the dog out of the room while hitting him “about five to ten times.” Robinson was seen allegedly “punching Rolf with a closed fist multiple times.” A state K-9 training instructor was consulted during the investigation and reportedly stated that “striking a police dog is not taught or allowed … as a corrective measure” by the Utah Department of Public Safety’s Peace Officer Standards and Training. Once the incident was reported to the sheriff’s office, Rolf was reportedly taken to the county animal shelter for evaluation and Robinson was placed on administrative leave. While Robinson reportedly remains on leave, Rolf has returned to active duty with a different handler. To avoid a conflict of interest, the Bountiful Police Department is investigating the incident.

October 2023/New York, New York

Gothamist reported that, according to a department spokesperson, a dog named Ryder in the New York City Department of Correction K-9 unit died after she was found unresponsive inside a department vehicle at the Rikers Island jail facility. Ryder’s handler, who allegedly had left the dog unattended in the vehicle for several hours, is not facing disciplinary action at this time. A necropsy is underway to determine the cause of death. An investigation is also underway to determine whether the heat-alert alarm system installed in the vehicle was working or had malfunctioned. According to the New York Daily News, Ryder was a female German shorthaired pointer trained to sniff out contraband substances.

September 2023/Monroe County, Wisconsin

NBC15.com reported that a Monroe County Sheriff’s Department detective had resigned following the death of his K-9. The handler had allegedly left K-9 Kolt in a squad car for four hours on a day when the temperature surpassed 80 degrees. Veterinary records reportedly indicate that Kolt endured kidney failure—a common result of heatstroke—and was euthanized to end his suffering. Following an external investigation, the handler was reportedly charged with “mistreating animals—intentional or negligent violation.”

September 2023/Fairmount, Indiana

FOX59.com reported that a Fairmount Police Department officer had resigned after his partner, K-9 Zeusz, died in the back of his patrol vehicle. According to reports, the vehicle was equipped with a temperature alarm, and a necropsy found no obvious cause of death. The Indiana State Police investigation into the death is ongoing.

Update (June 2024): On June 6, 2024, Zeusz’s handler, Kyle James Vincent, was reportedly charged with cruelty to animals for the death of his K-9 in the back of his squad car in 2023.

August 2023/Lake Station, Indiana

In July, APnews.com reported that at least eight dogs who were not yet on active duty had died and many more suffered from heat exhaustion following the malfunctioning of the air-conditioning unit in a cargo truck that was transporting them to a K-9 training facility used by law-enforcement agencies in several states. The owner of the facility is apparently a retired police officer, and his employees appear to be either active or retired officers. Following relentless demands from PETA and outraged members of the public, local officials engaged the Indiana State Police to perform a third-party investigation, which is ongoing.

Update (August 2024): On August 27, 2024, Indiana State Police (ISP) officials announced that Michael McHenry, the owner of the canine transport company, and Jessee Urbaszewski, the driver of the truck, were to be charged with 18 counts each of animal neglect for transporting 18 dogs—10 German shepherds, six Belgian Malinois, and two Dutch shepherds—in a vehicle that wasn’t equipped to protect them from the hot weather. PETA received a copy of the ISP probable cause affidavit that lists the names and dispositions of the victims. Twelve of the dogs were reportedly rushed to local veterinary hospitals: Toto, Xen, and Yogi were dead on arrival; Rafi, Rex, Thor, Tibi, WiFi, and Gizo were euthanized; and Baco, Bolt, and Feli were hospitalized for heatstroke and survived. According to the affidavit, Baco was later sold to the Illinois secretary of state; Bolt and a dog named Aza were sold to the Missouri State Highway Patrol; Feli (renamed Luka) went to the Ellisville Police Department; Ajax went to the Van Wert County Sheriff’s Office; Clea went to Patriot Canine Training; Ralf went to the Ohio State Highway Patrol; Tako (renamed Quillen) went to the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office; and a dog named Nix was sold to one of the private individuals who helped the dogs on that sweltering day.

August 2023/Wicomico County, Maryland

WBOC.com reported that a Wicomico sheriff’s deputy had left K-9 Roxy unattended in a vehicle at his home while the heat index exceeded 100 degrees and he threw a child’s birthday party. Roxy was reportedly found dead inside the vehicle. The deputy had allegedly failed to plug in a temperature-monitoring heat-alert alarm system specifically designed to protect her by rolling down the windows and turning on the siren if the interior temperature of the vehicle climbed too high. The criminal investigation of this incident has been completed and turned over to the Dorchester County State’s Attorney’s Office. The deputy has reportedly been reassigned and is not working with K-9s.

August 2023/Parsons, Kansas

KOAMNewsNow.com reported that Devin Wisdom, a Parsons Police Department officer, had found K-9 Karim deceased after allegedly leaving him in his kennel for an undisclosed length of time after a 12-hour work shift. Following the results of the necropsy report, which apparently revealed that “extreme heat was the sole factor contributing to K9 Karim’s passing,” the officer was placed on unpaid administrative leave. The Labette County Sheriff’s Office has reportedly submitted the case to the Labette County Attorney’s Office with a request to charge the officer with cruelty to animals. The investigation is ongoing.

August 2023/Derry Borough, Pennsylvania

TribLive.com reported that K-9 Smoke had been euthanized after being involved in a dogfight at the home of his handler, Derry Borough Police Chief Randy Glick, whom he reportedly had bitten and who allegedly had used a taser on the family dog, who had attacked K-9 Smoke. Although K-9 Smoke reportedly sustained severe injuries to his rectum and anus, he allegedly wasn’t taken to a veterinarian until three days after the incident, and the attending veterinarian reportedly recommended euthanizing him. The Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office completed an investigation but didn’t file charges, and the Derry Borough police dog program was disbanded in the wake of growing outrage from residents.

August 2023/Katy, Texas

According to public records obtained by PETA, a Brookshire Police Department officer—who had been assigned as but was neither trained nor certified as a K-9 handler—had been in the hospital when a family member allegedly left his K-9, a young Belgian Malinois named Luca, outside unattended in record-breaking temperatures with a heat index of 110.1 degrees. The person reportedly returned more than four hours later and found the dog unresponsive and apparently dying of heat exhaustion. The dog was reportedly rushed to the vet and later euthanized. Luca’s death wasn’t announced publicly until a city official confirmed on social media that he had died. The official reportedly only knew about the death because the city council had been asked to reimburse a $4,000 veterinary bill. PETA has confirmed with the city that the incident is currently under investigation.

Update (May 2024): PETA received the final report from the official third-party investigation into the incident, which indicated that the chief of police, Clyde Miller, was ultimately at fault for the negligence and death of Luca. After his original handler left the department, Luca was reportedly housed at a boarding facility until he was reassigned. The next officer assigned to Luca, Maximiano Rodriguez, apparently had no training in canine handling, allegedly had no interest in being a handler long-term, and reportedly lacked the physical capabilities required by the department’s policy to be a handler. Luca reportedly lost nearly 20% of his bodyweight while he was in Rodriguez’s custody. Rodriguez allegedly knew that he would be in the hospital ahead of time and requested that Luca be transferred into the custody of another officer, but the chief allegedly denied that request. Shortly after Luca’s death while in Rodriguez’s custody, Miller was reportedly forced to resign. Upon reviewing these records, PETA drafted a criminal complaint to request that local and state agencies with jurisdiction over this section of unincorporated Harris County investigate Luca’s death.

July 2023/Salt Lake City, Utah

Local news station KSL TV reported that Loki, an 8-year-old Belgian Malinois, had been found dead in a K-9 vehicle at the Utah State Correctional Facility. The State Bureau of Investigation said that “initial indications show [his death] is likely heat-related, but this is still being investigated.” The high temperature that day was 97 degrees. In response to a letter from PETA expressing condolences and recommending heat-alert alarm systems for all K-9 vehicles, the executive director of the Utah Department of Corrections informed us that the agency had initiated both internal and independent investigations of the incident, along with a comprehensive examination of policies and procedures to identify potential shortcomings and make necessary improvements to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. The agency also indicated that the vehicle had, in fact, been equipped with a heat-detection system.

Update (October 2024): KSL TV reported that although the district attorney’s office was still investigating, the Utah Department of Corrections acknowledged that Loki’s death had been preventable. According to the department, Loki’s handler was placed on leave for nearly four months after his death and then reassigned outside the K-9 unit. KSL investigators calculated that so far, the incident had cost taxpayers nearly $41,000 for the officer’s paid leave, the amount originally paid to purchase Loki, and the amount paid to purchase a new dog, named Max, to replace him. The estimate doesn’t include the cost of an eight-week training course or annual recertification for a new K-9. The Department of Corrections has reportedly updated its policies to prevent another dog from dying in the same manner as Loki.

Update (December 2024): The Salt Lake Tribune reported that the handler responsible for Loki’s death, Jacob Lee Naccarato, would not face criminal charges. Although prosecutors reportedly “believe that Loki’s death could—and should—have been avoided,” the investigation found that Utah Department of Corrections employees allegedly had not been trained in how to use the heat-alert alarm system in the vehicle. The report indicated that Naccarato still works for the department but no longer handles K-9s.

July 2023/Rowan County, North Carolina

SpectrumLocalNews.com reported that a Rowan County sheriff’s deputy had been out of town when a family member allegedly left his K-9, Kantor, in a car unattended. The dog was reportedly found dead in the vehicle when another member of the household arrived home from work. The car was reportedly left running with the air conditioning turned on but the engine apparently shut off, and there was no safety equipment installed to monitor the temperature inside the vehicle. The death was reportedly deemed an “accident.”

June 2023/Rains County, Texas

KLTV.com reported that a Rains County sheriff’s deputy had been fired for violating the agency’s “canine operations policy and vehicle maintenance procedures” after he reported finding his partner, K-9 Kumo, deceased. The case has been referred to the district attorney’s office to determine whether charges are warranted. No details concerning how Kumo died are available pending investigation.

May 2023/Detroit, Michigan

WSPA.com reported that a TSA explosive detection canine handler at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport had been removed from handling duties after a traveler filmed him apparently treating his K-9 roughly while on duty. The video shows the dog losing his footing and his handler aggressively jerking his leash, allegedly “yanking hard enough to swing the dog around” multiple times.

April 2023/Chapmanville, West Virginia

KTUL.com reported that a former Chapmanville Police Department officer, Marcus Dudley, had reached a plea agreement in which he pleaded guilty to making false statements, obstruction, and cruelty to animals—all misdemeanors—in relation to the “disappearance” of his K-9, Chase. Since he first reported that K-9 Chase was missing, Dudley has made apparently inconsistent statements, and “the indictment does not specify how investigators believe Dudley mistreated his police dog.” He is reportedly no longer working for the Chapmanville Police Department and is currently in jail awaiting sentencing in November.

April 2023/Boone County, Iowa

KCCI.com reported that a Boone County sheriff’s deputy had been charged with one count of “injury or interference of a police dog service,” which is a felony, after allegedly leaving his partner, K-9 Bear, inside a vehicle for 22 hours while temperatures exceeded 90 degrees, leading to the dog’s death. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation reported that cellphone data shows that the deputy left the house twice while Bear remained locked in the vehicle without food, water, or ventilation.

January 2023/Rockdale County, Georgia

In June 2022, three companion dogs died after Eric Tolbert, a Rockdale County sheriff’s deputy, allegedly left them in an unventilated shed for two days while the heat index exceeded 100 degrees. Investigators reportedly found his agency-assigned K-9, Aegis, and another dog living in feces-filled pens with dirty water buckets. The Sheriff’s Office immediately removed Aegis from Tolbert’s property, reassigned him outside the canine unit, and performed a full investigation into the dogs’ deaths. After local judicial officials refused investigators’ request for an arrest warrant, PETA leaped into action, sending letters to officials containing sound legal arguments for such a warrant to be issued, held demonstrations, and encouraged supporters to take action. The case was finally brought before a grand jury, which found Tolbert “not guilty” for the deaths of all three brachycephalic dogs he had allegedly left crated inside an unventilated shed in the sweltering summer heat.

December 2022/Hampton County, South Carolina

WJCL.com reported that a Hampton County sheriff’s deputy had found his K-9, a bloodhound named Levi, dead on Christmas Eve after allegedly leaving him outside in an unheated kennel while the temperature dropped to 13 degrees. Instead of opening an investigation and instructing the deputy to take the dog’s remains to a veterinary hospital for a necropsy, the sheriff, who was nearing retirement, reportedly told him to bury the body on a former deputy’s property in Allendale County.

August 2022/Campbell County, Tennessee

WBIR.com reported that Lt. Nathaniel Bostic, a Campbell County sheriff’s deputy, had been placed on administrative leave after a training video showing him apparently violently jerking, hanging, and swinging his partner, K-9 Santo, by the leash went viral. PETA consulted expert trainers for their professional opinions regarding the deputy’s actions in the video, without identifying the agency or handler, and sent the information to the Campbell County sheriff. One expert opined, “My real concern here is that when the dog begins to whine, it tells me that the dog knows what is coming and that it is going to be painful because the dog has clearly experienced this behavior from the handler before.” No updates were ever provided regarding the internal investigation or whether Bostic was held accountable for this alleged abuse.

May 2021/Beattyville, Kentucky

A witness filmed a police officer and his K-9, Sara, during a traffic stop. While Sara was in a seated position, the handler apparently kneed her in the back of the head (00:12–13 of the video here). He shouted a command for her to go into a “down” position, and once she had obeyed, he apparently dragged her along the pavement by the leash and collar around her neck. According to the witness, the handler forcefully shoved Sara into the patrol vehicle, hit her with his hand once she was inside, and then shut the door against her backside. The witness stated that the other police officer at the scene blocked her from moving and wouldn’t allow her to film the handler’s treatment of Sara after he had dragged her along the ground.

March 2021/Salisbury, North Carolina

A video was leaked to the media showing an officer apparently lifting a K-9, later identified as Zuul, off the ground by the leash, swinging the dog over his shoulder, hauling him like this for several feet, body-slamming him against the side of a police vehicle, violently shoving him against and then into the vehicle, and punching him with force. Onlookers who were apparently inside an adjacent vehicle with the camera that filmed the incident can be heard in the footage. One says, “We’re good—no witnesses,” then someone chuckles. Then one asks, “Is your camera on?” and the response is, “Uh, no, my power’s off.” Someone then says, “I think mine’s on,” followed by, “Can you go flip my cameras off? Just the front camera.” The video quickly went viral, inspiring a local protest, generating national and international outrage and prompting an external investigation. Based on the investigation, the handler, Officer James Hampton, was reportedly recommended for termination and subsequently resigned. Although the district attorney declined to bring criminal charges against him, the results of the investigation revealed that Hampton’s fellow officers reportedly thought that he had “disciplined [Zuul] incorrectly,” that the “discipline was excessive and not necessary,” and that the “discipline efforts went too far.” The president of a canine training facility stated that, in his opinion, “the incident was an overcorrection.”

December 2020/Vacaville, California

When a California man working outdoors heard a dog crying in distress, he looked around for the source and saw a Vacaville police officer allegedly straddling a dog, later identified as Gus, and punching the animal in the face while forcibly holding him down on his back. The witness captured some of the incident on video but was afraid to intervene. The footage went viral, raising public ire and inspiring protests. An investigation by Anchor Therapy Clinic—a trauma-focused mental-health clinic in Sacramento led by a psychotherapist with experience as a military working-dog handler, trainer, and kennel master—revealed that Gus was apparently fearful, engaging in avoidant behavior when cornered or leashed or when a handler attempted to touch him. He also reportedly didn’t understand or respond to basic commands or tasks and aggressively protected his food. The handler was reportedly removed from the K-9 unit, and the police department announced that it would implement the improvements recommended by the investigators.

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