Police K-9 named Aron dies in hot car after AC broke down when his handler was not with the vehicle
- The four-year-old dog named Aron passed away on Monday in Houston, Texas
- Police said it is “normal” to leave a dog in an air-conditioned car
- Aron was transported to an emergency vet, but died of heat exhaustion
A police K-9 named Aron died Monday in Houston, Texas after the air conditioning in the parked vehicle failed while his handler was away.
According to police, the four-year-old pup was rushed to a vet but later died of heat exhaustion.
“When Aron’s police chief returned to the vehicle, it was discovered that the engine had been turned off and that Aron was in distress,” authorities said.
In a statement, police said leaving a police K-9 in a moving, air-conditioned vehicle is “common practice” within the department.
The group said the cars are equipped with measures to warn handlers and cool the vehicle if the engine stalls, but the measures do not work.
A police K-9 named Aron died Monday in Houston, Texas after the air conditioning in the parked vehicle failed while his handler was away
In a statement, police said leaving a police K-9 in a moving, air-conditioned vehicle is “common practice” within the department. Pictured: Houston Police Department
In a statement shared on Facebook, the Houston Police Department shared the heartbreaking details of the animal’s death, calling it a “tragic accident.”
Aaron had 1.5 years of police service at the department, the police said.
The attendant had got out of the car and had let Aron in. The air conditioning should have been left on as long as the animal was there.
However, when the attendant returned, the engine had completely failed.
The department said K-9 cars are equipped with a system that acts as a backup generator if the vehicle shuts down.
The system “alerts the attendant, sounds the horn, activates cooling fans and rolls down the car windows if the vehicle breaks down for any reason.”
“This did not happen in this case,” the police statement read.
The Houston Police Department said officers are now investigating the incident to try to understand why the vehicle stopped and the backup system failed.
All other K-9 vehicles are now being inspected for potential problems in the future.
In a statement shared on Facebook, Houston police shared the heartbreaking details of the animal’s death, calling it a “tragic accident”
The department said K-9 cars are equipped with a system that acts as a backup generator if the vehicle shuts down. Pictured: A K-9 officer in an HPD vehicle
The department’s post ended with a request for the public to keep Aron’s handler and the other members of the K-9 team in their thoughts and prayers.
The disheartening news shared on Facebook drew thousands of comments and hundreds of comments thanking the pup for his service.
“This is so heartbreaking. Thank you for your services k9 Aron,” one user wrote.
“Amen, such important animals need to be taken care of, hopefully the extended measure will be taken to keep them alive and safe,” added another.
RIP Aaron. Thank you for your service,” another wrote.