Iowa Police K-9 Dies After Being Left In Patrol Vehicle For 22 Hours
A deputy of Boone County Sheriff’s Office, north of Des Moine, Iowa, is now being investigated for the death of a police dog named Bear. A search warrant that was made public last week showed that Sgt. Dallas Wingate left his former K-9 partner in his truck for at least 22 hours in early September. Due to concerns over a conflict of interest, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation are investigating the incident, as reported by USA Today.
“When there is an actual conflict or the appearance of a conflict, it’s not unusual to request a neighboring county to handle the prosecution side of the case,” said county attorney Matt Speers. “I felt there could be at least an appearance of conflict.”
According to Iowa State Climatologist Justin Glisan, the highest outdoor temperatures during the time Bear had been left in the vehicle was 89 degrees, meaning the temperatures inside the truck reached somewhere between 130-135 degrees within less than an hour. Though state investigators have unsurprisingly refused to share a necropsy report, the American Veterinary Medical Association has stated that high temperatures inside a vehicle can cause household pets to suffer from heatstroke and death.
Though no charges have been filed by Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, both Sgt. Wingate and the Boone County Sheriff have resigned from their positions.
