COTULLA, Texas - A sheriff’s deputy is being investigated for the death of his K-9 partner. A dog named Ledger died on May 29 after less than a year of service.
According to the La Salle County Sheriff’s Department, Ledger was found in the back of his K-9 patrol car while it was parked outside of the courthouse.
It’s unclear how long Ledger was inside the car, but weather records indicate the high temperature that day was 94 degrees. That can send the temperature of a car up to 125 degrees in a matter of 20 minutes.
Dr. Leslie Bauer, the Medical Director at San Antonio’s Emergency Pet Center, noted that a temperature like that is easily hot enough to cause internal harm.
“Above 105 degrees, 106 degrees they start cooking their insides and they can have kidney damage, heart damage,” Bauer said. “A lot of things can start happening to them.”
According to the sheriff’s department, their K-9 patrol cars have heat sensors that automatically ventilate the car on hot days. It’s unclear why this safety mechanism doesn’t appear to have worked. Both the department and the deputy under investigation declined to comment on record.
For now, no charges have been filed.
