PHOENIX (AZFamily)<\/b> \u2014 A Maricopa County Sheriff\u2019s Office K-9 detention dog died this month after its handler found it in distress at Estrella Jail, according to a statement released by the agency. <\/p>\n
The sheriff\u2019s office has declined to provide details about how the dog died, calling the matter an active investigation.<\/p>\n
What MCSO has said<\/p>\n
According to a statement from the sheriff\u2019s office, around 7:15 p.m. on June 18, a K-9 detention deputy at Estrella Jail found their K-9 in distress. <\/p>\n
The temperature outside was 102 degrees at the time. Several handlers performed emergency first aid, but the dog was dead by the time it arrived at an emergency veterinary clinic.<\/p>\n
MCSO declined to answer follow-up questions and has not released the K-9\u2019s name or its handler. It is not clear whether the dog was left in a vehicle, whether the handler could face charges, or whether an outside agency is involved in the investigation.<\/p>\n
Contrast with agency\u2019s public stance on animal abuse<\/p>\n
The Maricopa County Sheriff\u2019s Office has publicly and repeatedly positioned itself as a leader in animal cruelty enforcement. Sheriff Jerry Sheridan has stated the office will not tolerate animal abuse \u201cin any way, shape, or form.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLet me be perfectly clear, if you are abusing animals in Maricopa County, I will use every avenue of this office to ensure justice for these animals who cannot speak for themselves,\u201d Sheridan said in an MCSO Instagram post.<\/p>\n
The agency\u2019s Animal Crimes Investigations Unit is described by MCSO as an award-winning model for other law enforcement agencies. Its MASH Unit program allows supervised inmates to care for the thousands of animals seized from neglectful owners.<\/p>\n
Advocacy group calls for transparency<\/p>\n
Staci Goveia, founder of the national nonprofit<\/a> Protecting K9 Heroes<\/a>, said the public has a right to know what happened.<\/p>\n Goveia said she is aware of at least five other heat-related K-9 deaths across the country so far this year.<\/p>\n \u201cThey trust you. A dog cannot scream and tell you that they\u2019re dying in the car,\u201d Goveia said. \u201cYou wouldn\u2019t leave your child in your car for any amount of extended time. Why would you leave your partner? These are sworn in officers.\u201d<\/p>\n Goveia added that K-9s are expected to be protected by their handlers.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen we think about these K-9s and how they would sacrifice their life, and a lot of them have, for their handlers \u2014 I think the expectation is that the handler does everything they can to make sure their K9s are safe,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Investigation ongoing<\/p>\n Maricopa County has four K-9 detention officers, according to MCSO. Officials with the Arizona Law Enforcement K9 Association<\/a> said they were unaware of the dog\u2019s death until Arizona\u2019s Family contacted them.<\/p>\n MCSO has not said whether an outside agency is conducting an independent review.<\/p>\n See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it<\/a>.<\/p>\n