July 13, 2016
Pennsylvania Department of Corrections /Pennsylvania Department of Corrections
Totti died on July 7 after being left in a hot car by his handler.
A Pennsylvania Department of Corrections drug sniffing K-9, named Totti has died after being left in the car for more than two hours by its handler.
The incident occurred on July 7, according to a statement from the state DOC on Wednesday. A full investigation into the dog's death is underway.
Totti, a 2-year-old yellow Labrador Retriever, had reportedly participated in a Drug Interdiction Unit training exercise on the morning of July 7 after which the dog was locked in the car by its trainer at 12:15 p.m., FOX43 reported.
Totti's handler, who wasn't named, realized the dog was still in the car at around 2:45 p.m. The state DOC release says the trainer and Drug Interdiction Unit then tried to hose down the dying dog to cool him off, including using ice, before rushing Totti to a vet clinic.
The dog was still conscience at this time, the statement said, but Totti died of heat-related illness later that evening.
Fox43 notes the dog's death came at about 7:30 p.m.
View the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections statement here.
