Two K9's die in hot car

[ramseycat]

Business:
Location:
Auto Dealers

Auto Repair

Bar

Carpet Cleaning

Child Care

Chocolate

Coffee

Dentist

Doctor

Florists

Furniture

Golf Course

Gym

Hair Salon

Hotels

Insurance

Jewelry

Landscaping

Locksmith

Movers

Pizza

Plumbing

Realtor

Remodeling

Storage

Browse all »

by MojoPages
News
PrintprintEmailEmail this articleShareTweetShare
Share!X DiggDeliciousMySpaceLinkedInStumbleUponNewsvineReddit Two Bexar County K-9s dead after night left inside hot cruiser . by Brian New & Kens5.com staff
Bio | Email | Follow: @brian_new
kens5.com
Posted on July 26, 2012 at 10:45 AM

Updated today at 8:27 AM
Related:
•K-9 dies after being left in Bexar County Sheriff's caradd to reading list
Gallery
.See all 2 photos »

SAN ANTONIO -- The Bexar County Sheriff's Department says two of its K-9s have died after they were left inside a hot patrol vehicle overnight.

According to a statement from the Sheriff's Office, the dogs were found dead Thursday morning from apparent heat exposure after being "inadvertently" left inside the vehicle overnight.

The deputy responsible, identified as Deputy Steve Benoy, has been placed on administrative leave as the Animal Care Services and the BCSO investigate the incident. He was described as a 23-year veteran who has been assigned to the K-9 unit for 13 years of his career with the BCSO.

According to the statement, Benoy is "completely devastated by the tragic accident."

Sheriff Amadeo Ortiz said in the statement, "Deputy Benoy has been a dedicated officer during his career; he has never received any discipline during his tenure with the Sheriff's Office. It is my belief that this is a tragic accident however; the Sheriff's Office is following standard procedures in conducting a thorough investigation."

The Sheriff's Office is withholding any other comments until preliminary reports are obtained from the investigation, according to the released.

This is not the first time a Bexar County K-9 has died inside a vehicle.

In June 2010, a K-9 was left inside a cruiser that was parked outside the sheriff's training academy. The dog died while being rushed to the veterinarian's office.

Deputies later determined the 5-year-old dog died from preexisting medical issues.

Texas lawmakers had proposed a bill that would require heat alarms to be installed in all K-9 vehicles by 2011. However, the bill was never assigned to a committee.

The Bexar County Sheriff's Office had told KENS 5 in 2010, shortly after the first accidental K-9 death, that they would be installing the alarms in all five of their K-9 vehicles.

The sheriff's office would not confirm on Thursday whether or not the heat alarms were ever installed.

Don Barnes, of Voices for Animals in San Antonio, said the most recent accident is unacceptable.

"I'm pretty upset by that kind of irresponsibility and hope that changes can be made in the very near future," he said.

Nobody is perhaps more upset than Benoy, the deputy being held responsible for the dogs' deaths. In a 2010 interview with KENS 5, Benoy explained what it would be like to lose his K-9 companions.

"This would be just like losing a member of your family," he said. "I'm sure when a canine officer loses his companion, we all mourn."

[Lady Cop]

i know the deputy is crushed but BLOODY HELL!

Deputy Steve Benoy






god Ramsey, that post is a MESS!

[ramseycat]

Sorry! I was going to fix it but got distracted and now my time has expired.

[ZEROSPHERES]

I understand how badly he must feel. Dogs are trusting and loving and obedient and the attachment and bonding a master and his dog have can't be explained in words. The sense of loss must be overwhelming.

[ramseycat]

I understand it too but it's HIS fault. I am sure the guilt will eat him up though.

[Lady Cop]

for a K-9 officer to do that is like leaving your kids in the car. terribly sad and tragic.

[ramseycat]

for a K-9 officer to do that is like leaving your kids in the car. terribly sad and tragic.

Exactly. And while I feel bad for him/them, I can't imagine forgeting one of my "kids" in the car.

[Carsman]

for a K-9 officer to do that is like leaving your kids in the car. terribly sad and tragic.

Leaving kids in a hot car, is unacceptable for sure. And K-9's have it worse, due to their heavy fur coats!

[ZEROSPHERES]

Ramsey, No doubt he felt the same way about his dogs as you feel about your children, that he could never do that. That is why he must be feeling so badly. I am sure he is reliving each moment surrounding the tragedy and beating himself up wondering how could this happen. I have a little guy named Cosmo and I opened the car door and he jumped out into danger and was spooked and ran.Where I usually had him tethered to his seat belt and in his own bed in the back seat that one time I had forgotten to do it and my panic and self loathing was enormous. I don't know what I would have done if he had been harmed or killed.

[ramseycat]

I know the officer is probably beside himself with guilt and grief. And I feel for him. I really do. But personally, I just can't see forgetting the dogs or a child/children.

Didn't the dogs bark when he left them in the car? Didn't he usually let them out at night before bed? He didn't notice the dogs were not in the house?

[Jezreel]

^ the same could be said for children though. Regardless it's sad and tragic, whether it's kids or animals, these accidents can be easily prevented. I cannot imagine what this officer must be going through. So sad, poor doggies.

[Tammy75]

So so so sad!

Maybe I didn't read but why were the Officers left inside the car overnight? We had a case where a car's ac malfunctioned last year and K9 lost his life while being left in a running car. I wonder what the rest of the story is

[Jimbone]

Horrible, just horrible.

I've seen a lot of K-9 vehicles with the automatic cooling systems in them... this vehicle must have not had one. Another thing that is odd is that I am sure that K-9 made a hell of a racket before passing out - was no one around to hear it? Was the vehicle parked at his residence or a station?

[ZEROSPHERES]

Horrible, just horrible.

I've seen a lot of K-9 vehicles with the automatic cooling systems in them... this vehicle must have not had one. Another thing that is odd is that I am sure that K-9 made a hell of a racket before passing out - was no one around to hear it? Was the vehicle parked at his residence or a station?

STORY <<- Here is a follow up that explains the circumstances. It says the dogs were left over night at the officer's residence as he went out of town only to return and realize his tragic error.

[piwannab]

OMG, how awful, such a tragedy. Can this Deputy be charged with a crime against a fellow officer as opposed to an animal cruelty charge? Any lay person who would injure or kill a K9 would be charged just as if that dog were a human officer. Not that I want that to happen, I'm sure he is beside himself, but could it??

[ZEROSPHERES]

I hope not. The officer feels badly enough and this IMO would not be productive.

In an unrelated case where the death of a K-9 officer is being characterized as murder there is a effort to find his killer and level capital murder charges.


http://www.wcyb.com/news/Investigators-w...index.html

News 5 learned the Sheriff's Office will present to prosecutors the case as if the suspect killed a police officer in the line of duty, which is a capital offense.

Once charges are filed, it's up to the Commonwealth Attorney to make a final decision.