Dade County sheriff overhauls K-9 policies after dog’s death

Dade County Sheriff's Office / K-9 Georgia, the newest member of the Dade County Sheriff's Office's K-9 team, died in a hot patrol car in July, officials said.

By Staff Report August 19, 2025 2 min read

After the death of a Dade County Sheriff’s Office K-9 in a hot patrol car, the entire K-9 policy has been overhauled and redone, officials said.

Georgia, the bloodhound, was a little over a year old when she became the newest member of the Dade County Sheriff’s Office K-9 team. She died in triple-digit heat after a handler left her in a malfunctioning patrol vehicle.

At the time, officials said the K-9 had been left in the car for an unacceptable amount of time. The Sheriff’s Office said the handler is no longer employed by the department.

During inclement weather, heat wave warnings or warm weather, a deputy must check the K-9 every 15 minutes when their patrol unit is parked and unattended, the new rules state. Otherwise, the K-9 must be brought inside the Sheriff’s Office or kept at the home kennel.