Police dog handler to be prosecuted

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The two dogs died after they were left in the handler's car at Nottinghamshire Police's headquarters in Arnold on June 30.

Temperatures that day reached 29.3 degrees Celsius and by the time the handler had returned to the car the dogs had died.

A spokesman for the animal welfare charity said: "The RSPCA can confirm that following the deaths of two police dogs in Nottinghamshire on 30 June, legal proceedings will be brought against a Nottinghamshire police officer for causing unnecessary suffering to the two animals."

Nottinghamshire police said the officer had been suspended. A spokeswoman said: "Following a review of the circumstances in to the deaths of two police dogs, Nottinghamshire Police has taken the decision to suspend the police officer involved. An internal inquiry is also continuing."

If the officer is convicted he or she could face a maximum sentence of six months in prison and a £20,000 fine. The handler could also be banned from keeping animals.

Following the death of the two dogs, animal charities warned owners that it takes only 20 minutes for canines to die in a car during a heat-wave as temperatures can well exceed 40 degrees Celsius.

It is understood the two dogs lived with their handler, who was described as experienced by colleagues.

On the afternoon of June 30, the officer was said to have "popped in" to the force HQ, parking their own car just yards away from a new set of £300,000 kennels used to house the force's dog unit.

Following the discovery the officer was not suspended but given time at home to recover from the deaths.