A Missouri police officer has been charged with animal abuse after leaving his dog in a car overnight, causing its death. Savannah Police Lt. Daniel Zeigler allegedly abandoned the animal in his vehicle from just after 5 am until 6 pm the same day, when he phoned his office to inform them that the dog, his policing partner, was dead. An investigation revealed that the animal died from heat exposure as temperatures inside the vehicle were as high as 100 degrees.
A witness told investigators that he saw the officer “flipping out” when he realized the dog had died. Additionally, investigators found that the vehicle’s AceK9 system facility, which sets off an alarm if temperatures inside the car become dangerous to the dog, had been manually deactivated. The AceK9 system automatically rolls down the car’s windows, honks the horn, and activates a fan if internal temperatures reach 90 degrees.
The dog, named Horus, was a German Shepherd who joined the police department in February 2021 at age 2. Eight weeks later, he started patrolling with Mr. Zeigler, and the officer posted proud images of them together on the department’s Facebook page. Social media users tracked down those posts after hearing of the dog’s death and fiercely condemned the officer for his negligence.
Several posters called for Ziegler to face prison. “This poor dog died a horrid death because of someone’s irresponsible indifference,” one person wrote. Others claimed that local people would demand justice for the dog, stating, “We are not going to leave this alone.” The officer faces charges under Missouri’s new “Max’s law,” which was passed by the state legislature in July.
Missouri’s Governor, Mike Parson, signed Senate Bill 754, introduced by State Senator Tony Luetkemeyer, who said the law had been a priority for him for many years. The legislation increased the offense of harming service animals to a felony. Previously, abusing an animal was considered property damage, and the punishment was a maximum of 15 days in jail and a $700 fine. After Max’s law – named after a police dog killed in the line of duty – the punishment for harming a service canine has increased to seven years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
