PETA Statement: Former Madison County Deputy Charged in K-9’s Heatstroke Death

For Immediate Release:
November 6, 2026

Contact:
Sara Groves 202-483-7382

Below, please find a statement from PETA Associate Director Colin Henstock regarding the arrest of former Madison County Sheriff’s Office K-9 handler Chloe Swann on a charge of aggravated cruelty to animals, a Class E felony. Swann’s arrest follows the heatstroke death of K-9 Bart, who was left in an outdoor kennel without water for approximately 36 hours in September as the heat index reached 101 degrees.

Bart depended entirely on his handler to keep him safe, yet he was left to suffer an agonizing, preventable death. K-9s have no choice when they’re exposed to deadly heat or sent into situations where they can be shot, stabbed, beaten, or killed, and PETA is calling on the Madison County Sheriff’s Office to honor Bart by phasing out its K-9 program and replacing dogs with tactical robots, drones, and other state-of-the-art technology that keeps everyone safe.

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.