Lake Station, Indiana – Days ago, nearly a dozen dogs, said to be future police K9s, died in the back of a box truck after the air-conditioning system failed. According to the Lake Station Police Department, on July 27, 19 dogs were picked up at Chicago O’Hare International Airport and loaded into a truck destined for a Michigan City, Indiana, K9 training facility.
During the drive, the air-conditioning system failed and the temperature in the cargo area climbed to a deadly level, causing heat-distress, and death, to ten of the dogs. The driver was unaware that the cooling system failed and did not realize there was a problem until he heard barking from the cargo area.
The authorities said:
The driver stopped the vehicle at the Road Ranger on Ripley Street and entered the cargo area. Once inside the the cargo area, he observed the canines in distress and began to remove the canines who were crated.
Multiple agencies responded after a 911 call was placed. The authorities described the scene as “chaotic,” and stated that it took an emotional toll on those involved. The agency said:
Any loss of life is tragic and thoughts and prayers are with all those that were affect by this “freak event.”
No charges were filed. The police explain:
The Lake Station Police Department believes after speaking with the person (s) involved that this was not an act of animal cruelty or neglect but a mechanical failure of the AC unit that was being used in the cargo area.
The Humane Society of Hobart also responded to the scene, but they say they were turned away, despite arriving with cooling vans and animal care and control vehicles to transport the dogs to safety. The shelter’s Executive director, Jenny Webber, tells Local 12 News:
“because we were asking for that paperwork, it seemed to make the owner mad, and so, he said that he would not allow us to help.”
Several dogs on the transport had to be hospitalized. They are in the custody of the shelter until the owner can provide the “proper paperwork.”
what the hell is going on with these k9 dogs. don’t they have any safety measures in place or warning devices to let them know that there is a problem. what a bunch of clowns. then to deny assistance from qualified people who may have been able to save some of the dogs in serious distress stinks to high heaven. what really happened here, none of it makes any sense and all of a sudden even the systems in the squad cars are mysteriously failing leading to dogs dying. remember these dogs are considered law enforcement just like human police officers. who knows if people with anti police sentiment are involved with these systems. when you have a political climate like we have now all the trending wildfires, train derailments and a constant flow of other tragedies political motivation must also be considered. it is a shame to have to think this way but this is our world now, sad as it is. send prayers to the surviving dogs and hope the others rest in peace!
Agreed I was thinking the same thing
This is BS. Are we really supposed to believe that multiple systems stopped working simultaneously or that the driver just chose to ignore the alarms rather than stop? I wonder if the a/c was ever functional at all. The fact that the person responsible became angry, still has not provided his paperwork, and refused assistance speaks volumes. Most people would have been bending over backwards after seeing what happened on his watch. This police department didn’t do its job, something of a norm anymore with cases of animal neglect, abuse, and cruelty. Those dogs deserve better.
Never “assume” the air is working if you are not physically in that area. What a damn shame. This is a tragedy.
Those poor dogs must have felt like they were suffocating. How did he not realize this and just pulled over when they started barking I have 2 gsd and they would have been going crazy as soon as they sensed something wrong Which makes me wonder how long did this guy Actually wait until he decided to pull over
What a horrible tragedy. This should have never happened if someone was paying attention. Poor dogs had to suffer.
Another example of dogs dying to to breeder(human) GREED!
These dogs are bred to be sold and then trained which is wrong.
No dogs should be in the back of a truck in crates after being bred and sold for profit- any then usually disregarded after their service to police is no longer possible.
I GROW TO HATE PEOPLE MORE EVERY DAY!
Police agencies should be looking in their own back yards in shelters to find their new k9 partners.
I realize German shepherds are preferred, but it is bot mandatory!
Many dogs could be trained for this type of work.
It would
Reduce breeding of animals
Save dogs for shelters be euthanized
Reduce shelter populations
Help law enforcement agencies AND
PROVE THAT MANY OF DOGS MIXED BREEDS INCLUDED COULD DO THE JOB
Another example of dogs dying to to breeder(human) GREED!
These dogs are bred to be sold and then trained which is wrong.
No dogs should be in the back of a truck in crates after being bred and sold for profit- any then usually disregarded after their service to police is no longer possible.
I GROW TO HATE PEOPLE MORE EVERY DAY!
Police agencies should be looking in their own back yards in shelters to find their new k9 partners.
I realize German shepherds are preferred, but it is bot mandatory!
Many dogs could be trained for this type of work.
It would
Reduce breeding of animals
Save dogs for shelters be euthanized
Reduce shelter populations
Help law enforcement agencies AND
PROVE THAT MANY OF DOGS MIXED BREEDS INCLUDED COULD DO THE JOB.
This Is Animal Cruelty! Unconscionable!! I can’t Believe the local Police Let That Driver Off and Believed his BS!!
The Minute the driver turned down help from the Humane Society ~ seems really shady to me!!
Totally Breaks My Heart that These Pups Suffered So Badly and So Many Died!!
We all need to Unite and start Barking Out Loud for Our K9 Officers and K9 Officers In Training to be treated better!! Never to be left alone in vehicles!!! Can’t trust Alarms!!
Such trucks should have sensors that indicate if something has failed where the dogs are. The suffering they must have endured. It breaks one’s heart.
This is a sin fire the sob driver who is totally at fault
The person responsible for the dogs needs to be held accountable. There must have been other options and they should have been checked on them regularly. They just killed a bunch of innocent animals!
So, this moron is transporting $19,000 worth of precious cargo, and he is either too cheap, or too ignorant, to go on Amazon & buy a $30 thermometer or, a remote camera, to protect the dogs???? Yes. He should of been charged with cruelty, and or neglect.
What a horribelt tragedies
I say BULLS—!!!! That truck doesn’t even look like it HAS AC to begin with. No human with any compassion would turn away help when offered when it is so desperately needed for so many all at the same time! That driver/owner anyone transporting animals should provide proof of proper functioning means to transport. That guy needs to be locked in a box truck in a small crate with no AC on a hot sunny day the same amount of time those poor dogs were! Fined and license pulled!!!
Every other person who would have left a child in a car would go to jail! These cops should be charged as well for neglect as well leaving an animal in a vehicle in extreme conditions!
Prosecute the owner and STOP HIM FROM DOING THIS HAPPEN AGAIN. BUT NO the stupid police will let him go because he’s a white man! If he had been any other race they’d would have sent him up the river. This owner is NO DIFFERENT THAN A BREEDER OR PUPPYMILL OWNER! Shame on the police for letting this all go.
This is bs he should be held accountable for his fuck up and turning down help wtf that’s sickening 😑and shady as fuck!! So many unanswered questions to me it’s all shady and awful prayers to the pups who survived and rest easy poor angels who passed
That’s crap they knew what they were doing. They did not care enough about the dogs.
They were making money transporting the dogs. That’s all they cared about.
Who are we kidding here.
They should have been transported in a open back truck like farmers use and someone riding with them. This is a big loss.
I Believe All Animals that are being Moved by Humans in any Vehicle should have a Responsible Human Directly in their Presence to make sure they get to their Destination, Humanely, Safely and Without any Stress.
No dog should ever be trained to attack the public on command. More than once these dogs have been sicked on people with their hands up. Maybe if cops weren’t so fat and old they’d be able to chase people instead of putting dogs on em. With that said,,, When this man refused help to save the dogs police should have confiscated them for cruelty and let the Hobart Humane Society rescue them all. Not one of these dead dogs will get justice because they are considered property!