Police K-9 dies from heat exhaustion, left in running vehicle

ARNOLD, Mo. – A police K-9 with the Arnold Police Department died from heat exhaustion on Wednesday after he was left in a running car, according to a Facebook post from the department .

Arnold Police Department K-9 Vader died at the age of four. He was trained and certified through the North America Police Work Dog Association in tracking, narcotics detection, evidence search, area search and apprehension.

Vader had also assisted Arnold officers with several arrests throughout the years.

According to the Facebook post, Vader was left in a “running, air-conditioned patrol vehicle” for an undisclosed amount of time while his handler attended to other matters. The police department says this is “necessary and common practice” when the K-9 partner is not actively engaged in police work.

The department says as Vader’s handler returned to the vehicle, “it was discovered that the air conditioning system malfunctioned.”

Vader was sent to a local veterinarian clinic, then to a 24-hour clinic for treatment. The department says it was later determined that “no further treatments” were available and Vader died from his condition.

The police department says all K-9 vehicles are equipped with a system that notifies the handler in multiple ways if the vehicle temperature increases to a certain level, though says “the heat alarm system failed to activate” in Vader’s case.

A blog from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) last year advised against leaving dogs in a car , even with AC units activated, though there isn’t a nationwide policy that bans leaving dogs in a car, both for police K-9s or other dogs.

In Missouri, there is an animal neglect law in which someone could face a misdemeanor charge if they “knowingly” abandon an animal “in any place without making provisions for its adequate care.”

The Arnold Police Department, according to their Facebook post, says the system that failed to activate would notify the the handler by phone, activate the emergency lights and siren, sound the vehicle horn, activate cooling fans, and roll down the vehicle windows in the case the vehicle temperature reached a certain level while running.

Additionally, a new Missouri law known as Max’s Law will take effect on Aug. 28, 2024, that increases penalties for a law enforcement animals that are injured or killed from an assault, though the legislation doesn’t specifically address protocols or penalties for such animals being left inside vehicles.

The Arnold Police department says they’re further investigating the k-9’s death for the time being.

Vader’s passing is actually the second Missouri police dog that’s passed away from heat exhaustion in a car this Summer. A k-9 named Horus died June 20 following an overnight shift in Savannah.

It’s a misfortune to lose any animal but the loss of Vader has been felt through the entire community of Arnold as the dutiful dog was playful, friendly, and a dedicated service member before his passing.

The police department did not identify Vader’s handler during the situation that led up to his death.

This is a developing story.

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