2 police dogs die in hot car

catkins

This story makes me angry but also very sad.

Why do people not realise that dogs die in a car in the heat very quickly. It doesn't even have to be that hot outside as a car will just hold heat. Dogs cannot cool themselves and I think I am right in saying will die within 20 minutes if not cooled quickly i.e. by being put in a bath or shower with cold water (not very easy if out at the time).

I am getting up at 5am at present to walk my dog and then he is walked again at 11pm if it is cool enough. I have asked my dog walker not to walk him this week but will still pay her.

I see people walking dogs in the full sun and often the dog is panting like mad. I saw a woman a couple of days ago dragging a lab who looked quite elderly at lunchtime. I was so angry I actually spoke to her - just told her nicely that her dog looked hot and maybe it was not a good time to be walking him. She just looked puzzled and said "oh he doesn't mind the heat". Stupid woman - she must have been in her 60's so should have had more sense.

OH and I went to a local fun day on Sunday (a very hot day) - we had walked our dog early in the morning and then left him at home in the cool. Loads of people had dogs there. It was held in a beautiful park but most of it is in the full sun and there was no provision of water for dogs. An awful lot of owners did not even seem to have a water bottle for their poor dog to at least have a drink!!! It really annoys me.

As I say my dog is walked early - I always have a bottle of cold water for him to drink. Then he is at home all day where he can lay in the living room (I often put a fan in there), in the dining room on the tiled floor which he likes as it is a bit cooler or, if I am not working that day, in the garden in the shade. He actually is a very sensible dog and will not even walk if it is too hot for him. He gets outside the front door and then just stops dead and will not walk!

rev_henry

I must say I was rather ignorant of the dangers of walking dogs in this weather, I shall be more careful in future.

picklepick

rev_henry wrote: »

I must say I was rather ignorant of the dangers of walking dogs in this weather, I shall be more careful in future.

Heat stroke is incredibly dangerous and if not treated immediately can lead to death very quickly.

See this thread for some more tips and info on avoiding it and what to do if your dog shows the symptoms
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1785641

chez22

Errata wrote: »

Police dogs are trained to evacuate and urinate on command.

That is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard.

chez22

This is extremely upsetting, but ultimately a tragic accident. The dog handler is guilty of negligence and stupidity but there was no deliberate cruelty on his part. Dog handlers have a close bond with their dogs and he will be devastated. The fact that the dogs were in his private vehicle suggests they were home kennelled and as such would be part of his family. He will have to live with his guilt and the knowledge of his dogs' suffering for the rest of his life. I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

LeeSouthEast

lisawood78 wrote: »

With a non house trained dog?
Fun

Outside :rolleyes:

donnac2558

It showed on the BBC news there where kennels at the station. So he could have dropped them there whilst in the station. These dogs were donated last year so someone's pets before this.

maytaurus

Daily Telegraph
The police force at the centre of a row after two of its highly-trained dogs died from heatstroke in a car had recently spent £300,000 on new kennels, it was revealed today.
The German Shepherds were found dead in a private car which had been left in the main car park at Nottinghamshire Police's headquarters in Arnold on Tuesday afternoon.
Their police handler, who was on duty, had gone inside sometime before the dogs were found dead.
The handler, who has not been suspended and is now at home on leave, could be prosecuted, the force confirmed.
Today, it emerged that the car park, which is shaded in parts, is only yards away from the force's new kennels.
They were recently built at a cost of £300,000
It takes nine weeks of intensive training and costs more than £7,000 before a police dog can go out on patrol.
The maximum sentence for causing unnecessary suffering to an animal is six months in prison and a £20,000 fine.
Full report @ http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/dogs-death-police-force-spent-pound300000-on-kennels-14379809.html

The handler was totally responsible for these 2 dogs
I think at the very least he should be banned from keeping or working with a dog
& fined at least the cost of re-training


I cannot find the words to express my anger & sadness:mad::sad:
PS
Of course they are house trained, they have to master obedience training before even being considered for police dog work including how to sit, stay, lie down, wait, fetch, release, bark on command, stop barking on command, eat on command and stop eating on command

UKTigerlily

They are house trained.

chez22

UKTigerlily wrote: »

They are house trained.

Some are house trained, many are not. Serving police dogs are generally kept in a secure kennel in the handlers garden, not in the house.