#4 K-9 death this year: "forgotten" in patrol car

SOUTH CAROLINA -- A Bennettsville police officer is on administrative leave after his K-9 partner died, according to Chief Larry McNeil.

McNeil says the officer left K9 Tank, a black Labrador Retriever, in a car with the engine not running and the windows rolled up, Monday.

RIP Tank

The officer returned to the vehicle and saw Tank was not doing well, so he took the dog to a veterinarian.

Tank died Tuesday morning.

The officer's name isn't being released, but McNeil says he's a veteran K-9 handler and will be disciplined pending the outcome of the investigation.

McNeil said that he could not release any more info about the investigation until he talked with the vet and the officer involved.

However, McNeil did say that he had made a decision about the future of the officer.

"Whatever the outcome may be we will not be allowing that officer to be involved with K-9s in the future," McNeil said.
He says the officer is devastated by Tank's death.

Tank was four years old and had worked with Bennettsville police for three years and specialized in explosive detection and tracking.

(Carolina Live - Aug 13, 2013)