Reedley, CA – A California police department is mourning the loss of one of their own. The Reedley Police Department was conducting a desperate search for a police K9 who escaped from his handler’s home on the 4th of July – the dog, named Kona, escaped from his handler’s garage, and fenced yard, during the holiday’s firework displays.
According to the department, the German shepherd’s body was found on July 6, just outside of Visalia. The authorities said that Kona had been struck by a vehicle and had “crawled into a vineyard” where he died from his injuries.
Prior to the devastating discovery, the department had reached out to the public to help find the missing 10-year-old dog. The agency explained that surveillance footage showed Kona breaking out fence boards on the night of the fourth.
A large reward was offered for Kona’s safe return.
After the heartbreaking discovery of Kona’s body, the department thanked everyone who contributed their time and expressed concern, over the K9’s disappearance.
The department said:
Please take a moment to remember Kona and keep his handler in your thoughts during this difficult period of grief and loss. We hope that he and his family find solace in knowing how many people cared deeply about the safe return of Kona.
Rest in peace Kona.
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How irresponsible for fireworks being set off from the garage area where the dog lived. Every year warnings are shared about dogs being frightened by fireworks so there was no reason to set off fireworks where the dog would be frightened so much that he used force to break down the fence! For shame!
Where does it say that the fireworks were being set off at the handler’s house much less garage?
Why leave your dog in the garage alone when you know it’s the 4th and the dog is scared of fireworks? Don’t be dense
irresponsible for the police owner to leave th edog alone in the garage on such a night. we allknow our animals suffer from these fireworks and believe it is war. try to get your town to stop the fireworks. and never leave the animal alone when there is such stress. if they were with you you could talk to them and help them.police officer seems out of it to know this.
How irresponsible of the handler, everyone knows that on the 4th all pets should be kept indoors with the TV or radio on loud to block out the fireworks. I hope he can live with the fact that he is to blame! May the dog rip
My sentiments exactly. Pets are family. Why wasn’t he kept indoors. What did they think would happen.
First, this dog is NOT a pet. Second, working dog’s are cared for very well. Apparently you know nothing of the bond between handler and K9. Mine is acclimated to loud concussive noise like weapons fire including heavy weapons fire. Fireworks do not bother them much. A dog that was easily spooked by fireworks would not be a good candidate for law enforcement work. My current dog is a service dog as well as a search and rescue tracking dog. How can he be of service to me hiding from noise? How can he search for someone if the sound of a car backfiring etc can scare him?
This dog was 10 years old. I assume “no longer” a working police dog.
You are a complete idiot- public servants need to use common sense which you have none of. Dumb ass!
Well in that case I suppose you can tell us why multiple K-9 are abused by thier handlers and left in hot cars to die? That’s excellent care by handlers 🤦
FIRST off just because this is a working dog, does not mean it deserves less consideration or care than any other dog. Secondly if he knew the dog was scared of fireworks yet chose to lock it alone in a garage on the 4th!! That’s highly irresponsible and cruel whether it’s a working dog or family pet. Your entire comment is bull 💩
So if he was NOT a pet what was he? Since you have a service dog you should educate yourself and know that regardless of the capacity of being trained, dogs don’t have the mental development of a human, in fact, their mental development is comparable to the one of a 2 year old. They are domesticated animals, meaning they depend on us. Your words make you sound like a person that lacks sympathy and that’s why the world is the way it is for people that think like you
that’s ridiculous! I have several working dogs . I know who they are and what they need. Some are afraid of those noises and I know they need to be in the house during such a time . Otherwise they live outside from dawn to night as working dogs but any responsible owner needs to know their dog and do what is needed during such a well known dangerous time for canines – all canines.
Handler is at fault 100%
Do we really need K-9 dogs in the police force?
Lived in the garage. Never gets to play or go for a walk?
What a life, maybe it’s good the dog is gone.
Handler is complete responsible for the welfare of the dog, how he left the dog in the garage he should be left in the house where the walks are ticker and protect the poor.dod
How do you know if the dog was never played with or taken for walks? Assuming an awful lot aren’t you? Mine have always lived with me in my house just as my current working dog does. He is played with every day. Very seldom do we go on a walk just for the sake of walking as we are out in public and walking quite a bit daily. I take a break during our l day and take him to a local dog park for socialization with other people and dogs.
But elsewhere you proudly claim “working dogs” are not pets. Pets are played with and taken for walks and live in the house.
Oh no you’re totally right the welfare of the dog was top priority…hence why it was locked alone in a garage on the 4th when it was scared of fireworks …OBVIOUSLY the dog was not in distress at all and didn’t CLAW its way out and run terrified before being hit by a car…and crawling alone into a vineyard to die in agony…OBVIOUSLY this dogs welfare was top priority ….apply logic and common sense just once please
Search Stop K9 Torture (dot com) online
K 9 dogs ARE trained amongst other things for noise .So something else has caused his death ( in my opinion )this post does NOT add up .I hope he didn’t suffer poor dog .
He was hit by a car. It’s in the article.
You know what, the same thing crossed my mind too. It’s odd for a veteran K9 of 10 years to be that afraid of noise but I guess not totally unheard of. Something doesn’t add up
And ppl wonder why we hate cops!!! Stupid MORON leaves his dog in the garage, or outside during fireworks!!!?? He deserves whipping and worse for that. Spare us yourself phony tribute, cops.
I worked in a poIice department, and it is far worse than peopIe know, because they hide it from the pubIic, and the mainstream media helps them cover it up.
Find the website Stop K9 Torture (dot) com
It is standard protocol to hang the dogs (to unconsciousness), “heIicopter,” slam to the ground, kick, electroshock, etc., and more K9s are actually killed by their handlers and “trainers” than by any suspects on the street.
It is also standard protocol that the dogs be kept in isolation when not being tortured on the “training” fieId (or in my department, anytime the handlers wanted to show off in front of their peers). It think that is done to produce a Stockholm Syndrome – the person who tortures ‘you’ is aIso the person who comes to relieve you (a pack animal) of your terrible lonliness.
You are either a liar or a fool. Dog’s are well taken care of and are not abused. They do train hard but what you describe is not a training tactic used by ANY credible law enforcement agency. There have been instances of this happening and the person responsible is immediately disciplined, most likely by firing. What you describe is illegal and extremely rare.
She’s no fool. We all know better than what you claim. Code of Silence. Only when they are rarely caught on video and it gets out to the public are they “disciplined” or “fired.” For being an embarrassment by revealing the truth, they are usually given a paid vacation (“administrative leave”).
You’ve copied well from the script of lies that all the departments and K9 units have on hand to keep the pubIic in the dark about what goes on in K9 units.
I am very, very familiar with it. The desire to keep the secret is so strong that not only have I endured extreme harassment from the perpetrators at home, at work, and in public, but there were even times when violence was employed against me for speaking out.
Do you read? There have been multiple news stories every year about dogs dying from abuse and being left in cars. Seriously go lick boots somewhere else no one here is falling for it
Are you dense? She literally just gave you a website to look up …with witness statement and evidence …but na Max Bonehead said it’s not true so it’s not 🤣💀
Thank you for that info. What a horrible thing to learn about K9’s. Breaks my heart.
He was hit by a car. It’s in the article.
What an idiot!! Who the F**k leaves their pets outside during Fireworks?!? Because of these irresponsible dog owners… poor Kona paid with his life!!
This kind of shit pisses me off because it could have been avoided!!
First, they are NOT pets. Apparently you know nothing of how law enforcement or military dogs are trained and what they are capable of. When people go about assuming that they know all about something that plainly they do not they tend to make ridiculous statements.
A police officer should know the dangers of fireworks and should have had the dog in the house with the family where it was safer. AND to think that there was the story of the LEO who shot and killed a dog even though the family and neighbors that knew the dog said it was harmless. What kind of people are they getting in law enforcement anyway??? This is so sad and so uncalled for.
Fireworks are harmful to wildlife, pets, and humans with PTSD. When is society going to care?
There were plenty of notices on how to protect pets during fireworks. I know a K9 is well trained but they may still have fears from the shooting noises of fireworks. Handlers responsible for this senseless death.
A police officer should know the dangers of fireworks and should have had the dog in the house with the family where it was safer. AND to think that there was the story of the LEO who shot and killed a dog even though the family and neighbors that knew the dog said it was harmless. What kind of people are they getting in law enforcement anyway??? This is so sad and so uncalled for.
Sassy Cat, are you referring to the story from Ohio where a police officer shot a FRIENDLY TAIL-WAGGING Golden Retriever? I saw the video yesterday and cried myself to sleep last night (I’ve had Goldens and they’re the best dog! Friendly, happy, trustworthy.) The dog ran to the officer to say “Hi” and the officer shot him once. The dog ran AWAY from the officer and headed DOWN THE STREET! The officer FIRED THREE MORE TIMES! And dog fell down, and it turned out the dog DIED. THERE WAS NO NEED TO FIRE THE FIRST SHOT, NEVER MIND THE FOLLOWING THREE SHOTS! I’m just SICK over the death of this beautiful, friendly dog. Cops need to be TAUGHT DOG BODY LANGUAGE! A wagging-in-circles tail is a friendly dog!!
RIP poor precious dog….. I hope ALL the evil devils responsible for this horrible tragedy will pay soon!!!
I am so shocked to hear that a policeman would leave his companion outside during fireworks. It would be interesting to have a conversation with him to hear his justification for doing so. A reprimand beyond verbal is in order here.
He should have been in the house! Which is where all pets should be kept if they are loved!
The police officer who allowed this to happen should be forced to pay for the cost of the dog. And he should be banned from ever being assigned another K9. Why wasn’t the dog inside the house where he would be safe from harm? Leaving a dog outside in a backyard is irresponsible. We all know dogs and cats are usually terrified by fireworks. And July 4th is known as the day when pets run away from home after hearing the loud noises. This poor dog, he died alone in pain and without the benefit of anybody holding him. This death is on the hands of the handler. The police dept should require all handlers to keep their dogs indoors on the 4th period.
This beautiful animal is now FREE from human stupidity!