The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : A Police Dog from Alabama Died After His Handler Accidentally Left Him in a Patrol Car on a Hot Day The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : A Police Dog from Alabama Died After His Handler Accidentally Left Him in a Patrol Car on a Hot Day

Thursday, June 25, 2015

A Police Dog from Alabama Died After His Handler Accidentally Left Him in a Patrol Car on a Hot Day


A police dog from Alabama died after his handler accidentally Left him in a patrol car on a hot day when temperatures reached up to 87F.

Mason, three, was left in the backseat of Corporal Josh Coleman's car on Thursday during a hurricane preparation conference in Gulf Shores.

The Gulf Shores Police Department Facebook page shared a photograph of Mason inside the conference center prior to his untimely death.

Temperatures in the area on Thursday were an average of 84F with a high of 87F, according to Weather Underground.

Mason served as the community relations dog for Gulf Shores Police. The department shared a pictured of Mason on its Facebook page just hours before Mason was locked inside the sweltering police vehicle.

"We are at the City of Gulf Shores - Municipal Government Hurricane 
Preparedness Expo! We will be here until 2:00 p.m. Swing by and register for a free coffee mug and say HI to Officer Mason!" the Facebook post said.

Fox reports Mason served as the Community Relations dog for Gulf Shores Police and that the department recently celebrated the pooch’s third birthday on June 9.

Police say because Mason wasn't an enforcement k-9, Coleman's car wasn't equipped with heat alarms, water bowls and other protective measures that would exist in a K-9 handler's vehicle.

When Coleman found Mason in the car, he was in dire shape and seriously dehydrated. Coleman rushed Mason to a vet and the dog was later transferred to an advanced animal facility in Pensacola.

The beloved dog died on Friday at around 11:00 p.m. despite showing some minor improvements that morning.

No criminal charges are being filed but the city and the department are enforcing 'sanctions' against Coleman.

This situation has been devastating for Cpl. Coleman and his family and we hope that they are able to work through their understandable emotions.

"This is a tragic occurrence that has left the entire organization mourning a terrible loss.

It also illustrates how easy it is to become distracted, and how quickly heat can affect those that we love that are particularly vulnerable to it

Please keep this in mind when transporting children, pets, or the elderly," said the police department in a statement.

Mason was a popular dog with the police department and they often posted photos of him to their Facebook page carrying out ‘canine police duties.’

In April they posted a photo of Mason with the department Telecommunicator Natalie Wilson.

"Officer Mason presented Natalie with a certificate to recognize her dedicated service to the community and support of GSPD operations in the field. Please join us in thanking Natalie for a job well done!," said the post from April 17.

Mason worked with the Department since last November as a public relations dog and a therapy dog for victims of crime. 

Sadly this is not the first time this year that a police officer has left a dog to die in a hot car. In May, two police dogs died after their handler apparently left them in his vehicle for hours as temperatures reached as high as 86F (30C).

Hialeah police officer Nelson Enriquez drove to his Davie, Florida, home early on Wednesday following his midnight shift and left the dogs inside his marked police car in his driveway.

He found Jimmy, a seven-year-old bloodhound, and Hector, a four-year-old Belgian Malinois, dead inside the vehicle around 7:00 p.m.

In a further tragic twist, Jimmy was donated to the police department by the father of a nine-year-old murder victim to assist with missing children investigations, according to a 2009 NBC Miami report.

The bloodhound, who was five months old at the time, was donated by Don Ryce whose son, Jimmy, was abducted a block from his home, raped and then murdered in 1995.

The child's killer, Juan Carlos Chavez, was sentenced to death for the murder.



Left in a hot car: Mason, 3, died last Friday after being left in the backseat of Corporal Josh Coleman's car on Thursday during a hurricane preparation conference in Gulf Shores.



Earlier that day: The Gulf Shores Police Department Facebook page shared a photograph of Mason inside the conference center just hours before he was left to cook in the heat.


Birthday dog: Mason served as the Community Relations dog for the Gulf Shores Police Department who celebrated the pooch’s third birthday on June 9.





Public relations: In April the department posted a photo of Mason congratulating the department telecommunicator Natalie Wilson on her achievements.

Holiday time: Mason was present as the police department helped out with a holiday teddy bear drive.


Part of the police family: Mason worked with the department since November as a public relations dog and a therapy dog for victims of crime.



The beloved department dog died on Friday at around 11pm despite showing some minor improvements that morning
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