‘Sweet, goofy’ K-9 dies in hot car, Georgia cops say. Now, deputy fired
A Georgia deputy is out of a job after a K-9 officer died in a hot patrol car, authorities say.
In a statement, the Dade County Sheriff’s Office mourned the loss of K-9 Georgia, one of the department’s newest police dogs.
“She was an amazing bloodhound who was sweet, goofy, and had all the potential to be the ‘best of the best,’” the sheriff’s office said July 15 on Facebook. “She will be deeply missed by everyone at our office, and by anyone who had the pleasure to meet her.”
Georgia’s handler, who wasn’t publicly named, was inside the sheriff’s office July 13 and left her unattended in the vehicle’s kennel, authorities said.
The heat index in Trenton was “around 100 to 102 degrees” that day, officials said.
An investigation revealed the patrol car’s air conditioner compressor malfunctioned. Additionally, the vehicle was outfitted with a heat sensor, but it was not working, the sheriff’s office said.
Deputies didn’t say how long the beloved bloodhound was left alone but called it an “unacceptable amount of time.”
“Our hearts are aching at the loss of K-9 Georgia,” the department said, adding that she had been donated by a local family.
Going forward, K-9 patrol vehicles with broken systems will be removed from service, according to the sheriff’s office. Also, K-9 officers won’t be left alone for extended amounts of time during the summer.
The case will be handled by the Dade County District Attorney’s Office, which will determine possible charges.
Dade County is about a 20-mile drive southwest from Chattanooga, Tennessee.
This story was originally published July 16, 2025 at 10:54 AM with the headline "‘Sweet, goofy’ K-9 dies in hot car, Georgia cops say. Now, deputy fired."