An investigation is underway at the SCI Rockview after a dog was left in a hot car.
The K-9 was at the prison for a training exercise.
This happened Thursday, July 7th. The two-year old yellow lab, named “Totti”, was part of a drug interdiction unit.
The Department of Corrections told us they will do a fact-finding investigation.
A spokesperson there said when the handler realized the dog had been left in the car and he rushed her to a veterinarian but it was too late.
At this point, the officers involved have not been disciplined.
The D.O.C. says the director of the drug unit is meeting with all handlers to review the proper care and handling of dogs.
The Department of Corrections has issued a statement.
“There was a very unfortunate situation last week in which a dog used in the Drug Interdiction Unit was accidentally left in a vehicle during a recent training at SCI Rockview.
When the handler realized this fact, he and others rushed to the vehicle and began emergency care of the dog, including hosing him down and carefully cooling him with ice. At the time that they did this and at the time they took him to a vet, the dog was conscious. Everyone involved was incredibly and understandably upset and concerned for the dog. Unfortunately the dog did not survive. This has been very devastating for everyone involved.
A fact-finding investigation will be initiated.
This is the first such incident since the inception of the DOCs Drug Interdiction Unit. The DOC has 22 handlers and dogs and is in the process of moving its K-9 training facility from the boot camp to SCI Rockview.
The director of the Drug Interdiction Unit has met with all handlers to review the care and handling of dogs to ensure this situation is not repeated. He also is looking into new technology/safeguards that hopefully will prevent this type of tragedy from occurring again.”