You have GOT to be kidding me!!
Phoenix police Detective Mark Green parked in the back of a south Phoenix police station and ran in to do a few errands. Inside the car the entire time was Green's K-9 partner, Top.
"He had gotten tied up to do a few things that a supervisor had given him when he went in." said Phoenix police Cmdr. Robert Handy. "He ended up being a little longer than he thought."
Top, a 5-year-old black Labrador with an outstanding record on the Phoenix police force as a narcotics dog, was in a kennel in the back of a pick-up for about 2 hours.
The engine was on, but the air-conditioner was not, and the windows were up.
The temperature outside during that time was hovering around 80 degrees.
"Detective Green came out to the vehicle and noticed that top was suffering from some heat related symptoms and immediately started some first aid, took the dog to an animal clinic."
Veterinarians and detectives decided it was best to put top to sleep.
Green, who lives with Top and has been on the force for more than 25 years, lost a partner and a member of the family.
"It was a very difficult time for him as well as the other K-9 officers," Handy said. "The dogs are a part of their family and such a tragedy hits them pretty hard."
There was another dog in the truck with Top that survived.
But that dog was in the back under a camper shell with the windows open.
Green could face disciplinary action for the death of his dog. But at this point the investigation is still going on and nothing has been decided.
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Police dog may have died of heat exposure after sitting in car for 2 hours
