A former Cache County sheriff’s officer has pleaded no contest to aggravated cruelty to an animal for the death of his K-9, Endy, who died after being left in a hot patrol truck in July.
Endy died of heat stroke after his handler, 38-year-old Jason Whittier, left the dog in the truck on July 3, according to a Cache County Sheriff’s Office investigation.
Whittier entered the no contest plea to the class B misdemeanor on Monday in Logan’s 1st District Court.
He faces a maximum penalty six months in jail and a $1,000 fine when he is sentenced on Nov. 13.
Sheriff Chad Jensen announced in July that Endy’s handler was placed on unpaid leave. Jensen told the Logan Herald Journal in August that Whittier was longer employed by the sheriff’s office.
At about noon on July 3, Whittier parked his patrol truck at his home, in an area without shade, according to charging documents. Endy was still in the truck when Whittier left for family activities.
When Whittier got home around 11:30 p.m., he saw that Endy wasn’t in his outside kennel, and discovered the dog dead inside the truck, charges state.
Sheriff’s Office K-9 vehicles are equipped with safety features while the vehicles are running. When a vehicle is turned off, the system’s alarm — including horns, lights and sirens — is activated, unless it is manually turned off.
Endy, an 8-year-old Belgian Malinois, had joined the sheriff’s office last year. Previously, he had been with the Logan Police Department and had been involved in law enforcement since 2010.