Nebraska City, Nebraska – On September 17, a Nebraska City Police Officer was arrested and jailed on a charge of felony animal cruelty after his dog was found dead after being left outside in extreme heat. According to KETV News, 32-year-old Jacob Stenka, a K9 handler with the department, was booked into the Otoe County Jail.
Stenka’s dog was found dead on July 26 after a neighbor requested a welfare check on the canine, who had reportedly been left outside in extreme heat. By the time investigators arrived, the dog was dead.
Stenka is currently on unpaid suspension; he has served with the Nebraska City Police Department since 2023. Before joining the department, Stenka worked as a patrol officer with the Norton Police Department in Kansas.
Under Nebraska Revised Statute §28-1009, intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly abandoning or cruelly neglecting an animal is generally a misdemeanor, but becomes a Class IV felony when the abandonment or cruel neglect results in serious injury, illness, or death of the animal.
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