SCOTT CITY, Kan. - The police officer who worked with Scott County's drug-sniffing dog resigned after the dog died of heat stroke when it was left in the officer's squad car for three hours.
Office Doug Haire had worked with the animal less than two months, but had been with the Scott City Police Department for two years.
Haire resigned Tuesday, a day after the city council voted to recommend to Scott County Sheriff Alan Stewart that Haire either be fired or asked to resign.
Haire said Wednesday that he's not likely to continue a career in law enforcement. He said he quit because "basically I'm responsible for the dog."
Dar, a 3 1/2-year-old Czechoslovakian Shepherd that had served the police and Scott County Sheriff's Department since January 2001, died of a heat stroke in a back-seat kennel in Haire's cruiser last Friday.
Haire had parked the car in the sun at the city's law enforcement center and gone inside,
leaving the back windows of the squad car rolled completely down and the front windows cracked open. Officers are discouraged from bringing a drug dog into the law enforcement center, because those in the building tend to coddle the animal.
"I got caught up and busy, and then I went out and found him," Haire said.
It was 94 degrees outside when Haire discovered the dog dead in his kennel at about 3:15 p.m., he said. Dar had a dish of water, Haire said, and had been left alone in the squad kennel before.
Scott City Assistant Police Chief Jeff Pounds said Haire's inexperience with the dog could have contributed to the animal's death.
"I believe he just didn't think it was that hot out," Pounds said.
Haire could face a misdemeanor charge of cruelty to an animal, although Scott County Attorney John Shirley said he has yet to review the case.
"He was attached to the dog and fond of it," Shirley said. "He feels bad about the loss."
Dar had replaced the county's other drug dog, which retired at the beginning of the year. Haire had just completed training to work with the animal, which costs about $1,500, Pounds said.
Dar cost about $8,000 and was paid for by community contributions, Pounds said. The city likely will buy a new dog, but Pounds said he expects the community won't be as forthcoming with money this time.
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Dogs aren't suppose to be coddled because they have a job to perform? 
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