Tennessee police officer fired after death of service dog
29 september 2026 в 09:37
In Tennessee, a deputy sheriff is accused of leaving a service dog without water for 36 hours in an outdoor kennel, resulting in the dog’s death. This was reported by Madison County Sheriff Julian Weiser at a press conference on September 25.
The dog, a two-year-old German Shepherd named Bart, was found dead on September 19, when the temperature, factoring in humidity, reached around 38 degrees Celsius. According to the sheriff, it was revealed that his owner had not been home for 36 hours prior to the discovery of the dog, and that it had no access to water during that time.
The following day, a K-9 supervisor took Bart to one of the best veterinary clinics in Mississippi. A necropsy conducted by a veterinarian confirmed that Bart died from heatstroke due to severe dehydration. The dog’s owner was temporarily suspended from duty pending an investigation and then resigned from the sheriff’s office. The owner’s name was not disclosed at the press conference.
The district attorney’s office has been notified about the circumstances surrounding the K-9's death. Weiser assured the public that a thorough investigation will be conducted, and its findings will be forwarded to the prosecutor’s office. He declined to answer questions regarding ongoing internal and criminal investigations.
Bart was trained to perform tasks related to apprehending criminals, tracking, locating items, and detecting drugs. Weiser, who previously worked with K-9s himself, described Bart’s death as «very sad and tragic».
The dog, a two-year-old German Shepherd named Bart, was found dead on September 19, when the temperature, factoring in humidity, reached around 38 degrees Celsius. According to the sheriff, it was revealed that his owner had not been home for 36 hours prior to the discovery of the dog, and that it had no access to water during that time.
The following day, a K-9 supervisor took Bart to one of the best veterinary clinics in Mississippi. A necropsy conducted by a veterinarian confirmed that Bart died from heatstroke due to severe dehydration. The dog’s owner was temporarily suspended from duty pending an investigation and then resigned from the sheriff’s office. The owner’s name was not disclosed at the press conference.
The district attorney’s office has been notified about the circumstances surrounding the K-9's death. Weiser assured the public that a thorough investigation will be conducted, and its findings will be forwarded to the prosecutor’s office. He declined to answer questions regarding ongoing internal and criminal investigations.
Bart was trained to perform tasks related to apprehending criminals, tracking, locating items, and detecting drugs. Weiser, who previously worked with K-9s himself, described Bart’s death as «very sad and tragic».
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