“Deputy Lemberger’s squad auto is equipped with a K-9 heat alarm, which did not activate when the air conditioning unit failed”, the statement said.
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Brown County Sheriff’s Office said Wix, a Malinois, had been with the department since 2014.
According to WLUK-TV, Sheriff’s Department reports the dog, Wix, and his partner, Deputy Austin Lemberger, who specialize in detecting explosives, were contracted to help with security at the event. The deputy checked on Wix throughout the morning.
Lemberger left Wix in the patrol auto with the air conditioning running, but, unfortunately, there was a malfunction and it stopped working at some point.
The PGA Championship was hit by tragedy – a Sheriff’s K-9 overheated in a patrol auto and died in the line of duty.
The death of a Brown County K9 officer inside of a hot squad vehicle has people asking how this could happen.
Officials confirmed Wix, a cop dog trained in explosive detection, passed away inside an air-conditioned K-9 squad cruiser after being left unattended.
Brown County authorities are investigating the incident.
“Wix was a valuable member of this agency and community, and will be sadly missed by all”, the sheriff’s office said on its Facebook page.
The 3-year-old dog’s Deputy partner found him unresponsive.
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Bay East Animal Hospital is assisting the Sheriff’s Office in determining an official cause of death.
