Dogs and heat do not mix well. If left in a hot car, a dog’s body temperature can reach up to 110 degrees, which is often fatal. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia is learning this lesson the hard way, with the accidental death of one of their K9 Officers.

The end of a long shift

When K9 handler Sergeant Willie Barkley got off work, the first thing he did was head home to get some much-needed rest. But first, he had to fill out some reports, which he did while sitting in his patrol car before going inside. In the backseat was his K9, named Khan.

The unthinkable happens

It wasn’t until the next day that he remembered he had left Khan in the patrol car instead of placing him in his dog pen as usual. By that point, it was too late. K9 Khan had passed away from heatstroke in the back seat. Temperatures had gotten to 79, which meant it was way hotter inside of the vehicle.

A serious misstep on the Barkley’s part

To help prevent such a tragedy, the car had been outfitted with a device that would alert Barkley if the temperatures got too hot inside of the car. Unfortunately, Barkley had unplugged the device as he headed into three days off.

Barkley was reprimanded

Khan, who had been with the department since 2018, and had worked with drug and tracking operations, didn’t stand a chance. As for Barkley, he was demoted to deputy and removed from his position. He now works at the jail instead and also had to serve a five-day suspension.

And while Khan’s death was ultimately ruled an accident, there was really no reason for it to happen, with Sheriff Brad Freeman referring to the incident as an avoidable accident.

“You can spend all the money in the world on technology but there’s still a human factor,” Freeman told WMAZ.

How to prevent heatstroke in your dog

Unfortunately, death from heatstroke is a common cause of death in dogs, especially during the hotter summer months. The easiest way to prevent heatstroke in your dog is to keep them inside on hot days and never leave them in a hot car, even if for just a minute.

Treatment for heat stroke

If your dog suffers from a heat stroke, there are a few steps you can take to help. Start by attempting to lower their body temperature. To do this, move them to a cooler area. You should also take them to the vet as soon as possible. But before doing even that, soak them in cool, not ice-cold, water.

Call ahead on your way to the vet so that they can prepare for your arrival. You can also offer your dog small amounts of water if they are alert enough to drink it.

For more on this tragic story, you can watch the video below.

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Sources: YouTube – 13WMAZ, 13WMAZ. Dogtime.com