A police dog in Missouri passed away from severe heat exhaustion and neglect while in a patrol van. “We lost a member of our K-9 family in a tragic accident on July 31, 2024. Vader, a 4-year-old K-9 from the Arnold Missouri Police Department, died of heat exhaustion,” the department said on August 1.
The police did not disclose how long Vader was left inside the car. Vader’s K-9 handler was also not identified by the police agency. However, they did say that the dog was left “in a running, air-conditioned patrol vehicle.”
“This is an essential and customary practice when the K-9 companion is not actively engaged in police work”, according to authorities. What really happened? Here’s what we know.
What Happened to the Police Dog?
As stated earlier, the police dog, Vader, passed away due to extreme heat. Vader is reported to have exhibited “signs of improvement” after his arrival, at which point he was moved to a 24-hour facility for more care.”
However, the “K-9 succumbed to his injuries” after that, according to the department. The Arnold, Missouri, Police Department says that it has appropriate procedures in place to prevent these kinds of situations.
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What Went Wrong
“Every Arnold Police Department K-9 car is outfitted with a mechanism that, should the temperature inside the car rise above a certain point, will notify the handler by phone, turn on the emergency lights and siren, blast the car’s horn, turn on cooling fans, and roll down the windows,” the police statement read.
However, the heat alarm system did not sound in this case. Police stated that the department “is investigating this tragedy to determine what went wrong.”
The message, which featured a picture of Vader, ended with the words, “Please keep Vader’s handler, his family, and the members of the APD in your thoughts and prayers as we mourn the loss of our K-9 partner.”
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What Was the Handler’s Response?
The unidentified K-9 handler said that when they got back in the patrol car, they found that the air conditioning system had broken. They immediately took the animal to a nearby vet clinic.
“Isn’t it simply like a kid or another animal in a non-police officer’s patrol car?” Social media erupted, with several users blaming the handler. Many opined that the police dog wasn’t supposed to be left in the car. Others defended the handler and pointed to the technological shortcomings.
“His handler did nothing wrong to the people responding negatively,” one user wrote. “The mechanism itself was flawed. Understand that nobody desired K-9 Vader to experience anything similar.” Notably, the death of a K-9 dog from heat exhaustion is not unique to Vader.
Other Heat-Related Deaths Involving Pets
Physical effort, hot and humid conditions, and some drugs (such as diuretics or negative inotropes. Which can impair hydration and heat dissipation) are all included as risk factors for heatstroke.
Obesity, big (>15 kg) body weight, brachycephalic conformation, thick hair coat, advanced age, and pre-existing respiratory, cardiovascular, or neurological disease are dog-related characteristics that may enhance heat generation or decrease heat dissipation.
It was discovered that some dog breeds, including the Chow Chow, Bulldog, French Bulldog, Dogue de Bordeaux, and Golden Retriever, had a higher incidence of heat-related illness (HRI) than Labrador retrievers.
Prolonged seizures, neurological dysfunction, and upper airway obstruction are linked to poor clinical outcomes in affected dogs. If veterinary care is obtained early in the development of HRI and intensive therapy is administered, the prognosis of affected dogs is improved.
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Heat Stroke Diagnosis
An elevated core body temperature at the time of presentation may support a diagnosis of heat stroke. However, the care given to the dog just before presentation may impact the clinical results.
Therefore, it can be challenging to diagnose heat stroke in affected dogs who are in shock or that have been cooled as part of first aid. However, Police officials blame the death of the police dog overheating in a patrol car on an equipment malfunction.
Following the June death of a dog named Horus in a hot automobile in Savannah, Missouri, Vader is the second police dog to pass away in Missouri due to heat-related causes this year, according to reports.
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