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NOPD K-9s ride in special units designed to prevent heat-related deaths

Last time the department lost a dog in a hot vehicle was about 10 years ago

NEW ORLEANS -- Officer Bret Pitman has been a K-9 handler for 17 years, and for the last six he’s had Axel, his Belgian Malinois, at his side.

But 6-year-old Axel and his four-legged counterparts are more than a dog to officers like Pitman.

“They come home with us. They are part of the family,” Pitman said. “They interact with members of our family. So, they get the utmost care.”

Because of that close connection, Pitman and other K-9 officers closely watch the weather, and when the mercury begins its inexorable rise during the summer, he keeps a close eye on Axel for any signs of fatigue and limits outdoor activities to the morning, when it’s slightly cooler.

He also makes sure Axel takes plenty of breaks where he can cool down.

One of those cool areas is Pitman’s police cruiser, a place that can be deadly.

Authorities in Mississippi are investigating the heat-related death of a police dog in Hinds County. That dog died of heat stroke after his handler’s Chevrolet Tahoe stopped running while the deputy ate lunch in a restaurant.

The NOPD has special-edition Ford Expeditions that keep the air-conditioning running at all times when a K-9 is inside.

A beeper Pitman carries will alert him if the engine stops running. And if by some chance the temperature inside the vehicle goes above 90 degrees, a safety system called “hot-and-pop” activates.

“The sensor goes off. It rolls down the back windows, turns on a fan we have in the vehicle to circulate air and then the horn and or siren will sound audibly,” Pitman said.

It’s a measure that can be a life-saver.

Data from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals show that more than a dozen police dogs left in hot cars die each year.

In New Orleans, though, that is a rarity.

The last time the NOPD lost a K-9 inside a police vehicle was about 10 years ago.

Paul Murphy can be reached at pmurphy@wwltv.com.

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