LONG BEACH, Calif. (AP) - Authorities say the death of a Long Beach police dog was heat-related after the animal was left inside a patrol car.
The 6-year-old dog, named Ozzy, was found dead on Aug. 14.
Police say the dog, a German shepherd mix, and his handler were off-duty at the time.
A Police Department statement says a veterinarian examination determined the death was heat-related.
Police don’t say how long the animal was left in the car.
Police spokeswoman Arantxa Chavarria says K-9 vehicles have a heat-control system that signals a cellphone alert when the car gets too hot.
But Chavarria says the alert may not have been working.
The department says that in the wake of Ozzy’s death, other K-9 handlers have been reviewing the heat-control systems in their cars before every shift.
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